


Elemental Spirit Mage

by chaosphoenix123



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Celestial Spirits - Freeform, Elemental spirits, F/M, Pokemon theme
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-02
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:35:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 39,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21726112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaosphoenix123/pseuds/chaosphoenix123
Summary: Weeks before the Tenrou group returns, Romeo has his fire magic taken away and must now make his way in the world while only being able to call upon the Elemental Spirits. What could go wrong? How about these spirits all having vastly different personalities along with certain groups not being too keen on Romeo being alive?I would like to thank Tenryu no Hoko for basically being a beta for this chapter as they are someone I exchange ideas with and get good feedback from. Check out their stories if you have the chance.
Relationships: Gray Fullbuster/Juvia Lockser, Jellal Fernandes/Erza Scarlet, Levy McGarden/Gajeel Redfox, Natsu Dragneel/Lucy Heartfilia, Romeo Conbolt/Wendy Marvell
Comments: 5
Kudos: 10





	1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimers: I do not own Fairy Tail**

**A/N: So I decided to turn this into a full story though I had to move "Teenage Father of Fairy Tail" to Romeo's Life to do so.**

**Check out my other stories if you have a chance like: _Fiery Hurricane of Love, Right Claw of the Dragon King, The Wild Master, and A Child of Fire and Brimstone._**

**Chapter** **1**

**Kasai**

**X?**

**Unknown Location In the Far East of Earthland**

The man was wearing nothing more than rags for clothes when he stumbles into the cave in the middle of the forest during the dead of night. His ribs could be seen through his skin indicating that he hasn't eaten a decent meal in days if not weeks, nonetheless he presses forward into the depths.

"It has to be here! It has to be!", he screams into the darkness as he kept his hands on the wall to get through the pitch black, "I have sacrificed so much to get this far!"

"That you have, mortal!", a booming voice echoes throughout the cave, nearly giving the man a heart attack as the sound fills his head, "Through treacherous mountains and dangerous forests you have traveled far in order to reach me."

Without warning, a bright light fills the cave, blinding the man who had to use his arms to shield his eyes.

"I have been watching you ever since you enter my territory, human", the voice rang out from the light, "But I am still curious as to why you came all this way."

The man threw himself onto the ground, bowing his head to the ground while doing so, "Oh great and mighty one, my family has been the lowest of mages for as long as we could remember! We seek your help in allowing us to become powerful wielders of magic!"

A laugh erupts from the light, shaking the cave in the process and forcing the man to take cover as a chunk of the ceiling came crashing down next to him.

"You mortals never cease to amaze me! You crave power but don't want to put in the hard work and necessary sacrifices in order to achieve it!" the voice states, "Many of you seek to reach beyond your status and will do anything to make it so!"

"Whatever you want from me, name it and I shall give it to you if I am able!", the man begs.

The laughter subsides and the shaking stops as the light went out for a moment and the voice went quiet. The eerie silence and darkness stretch for so long that the man was almost certain that the entity was no longer there. Just when all seemed lost, the voice and the light rush once more into the interior of the cave.

"Hear me and hear me well, mortal! I shall give your race a moment of kindness and grant you your wish if only to amuse myself!"

"Oh, thank you. Thank you, most benevolent one!", the man cried only to hear a dark chuckle come forth from the light.

"Oh, you pathetic mortal. Did you forget already that you said that I could have whatever I want from you."

The man feels a cold chill travel down his back, "W-what is it that you ask?"

….

….

"What are you willing to sacrifice for a small portion of my power?"

**X791**

**Magnolia**

Loud, rowdy, and rambunctious.

Those were the words one would use to describe the situation inside of the second Fairy Tail guild hall at the moment as the guild was into its second day of celebration of the Tenrou's group return. Natsu and Gray were brawling with Max and Nab. Wendy, Gray, Gajeel, and Juvia were getting their second painting done by Reedus while Cana was over at the tavern having a drinking contest with Wakaba, Master Makarov, and Macao. Meanwhile, Lucy was merely sitting at a table by herself watching it all as she sighs happily. Despite the fact she had to stay over at Alzack and Bisca last night due to her rent piling up over seven years she was nonetheless joyful about returning home.

"It's like we never left", she says before seeing someone sit down next to her. She turns and is greeted by the sight of a purple-haired young boy sitting right next to her, looking uncomfortable for some reason as he fidgets in his seat and initially refusing to my eye contact with her.

"Hey...", as she tries to remember his name, searching through her memories as best she could while also wondering where the boy appeared from for she has been sitting across from the front door the whole time along with the fact that she didn't see him yesterday either.

"Romeo", the boy said, "Macao's son."

Lucy snaps her fingers as she remembers, "That's right, you were the one that punched Master Makarov when he refuses to go looking for your father when he went missing."

"Wow, I mean I have done other things, but okay", Romeo grumbles under his breath before looking at Lucy, "Are you busy right now? I kind of need your help with something."

Lucy leans back, eyeing the boy with a quizzical stare, "Me?", she says before throwing a look over at Natsu just as he received a punch from Gray and goes flying across the room, "You sure you don't want Natsu's help?", she asks, now remembering that Romeo was the dragon-slayer's biggest fan seven years ago.

Romeo looks down at the ground and lets out a sigh and for the first time, Lucy notices the bags underneath his eyes as if he hasn't gotten a good night's sleep in awhile.

" _What's wrong with him?",_ she thought before her Romeo's voice snap her out of it.

"As much as I would love to see Natsu again after him being gone for so long, I doubt he can help me. I feel like you're the only one who can", he says.

Lucy looks back and forth between Romeo and Natsu for a moment, "What about Ezra?

"It doesn't involve swords", the boy answers.

"Gray?"

"Nor ice or stripping?"

"Wendy?"

Romeo blushes at the mention of the Sky Dragon-Slayer's name, something Lucy takes note of, but shakes his head, "No."

"Master Makarov?"

"Maybe, but I doubt it."

"Okay, your father?"

"He's the last person I want to talk to right now", Romeo says as he throws a glare over at the man in question.

Lucy was running out of people to name and she was starting to feel uncomfortable as she wonders just what Romeo wanted to talk to her about.

The boy lets out a breath, "Can you follow me outside please, Lucy?", he asks, "It would probably be for the best if I explain my problem out there", as he gets up and walks to toward the door.

Lucy watches his back for a moment before shaking her head in frustration before standing up and following after him but not before sparing a glance at the bar where surprisingly Macao was looking directly at her. Only he didn't have his usual smile on or his pervert one either if anything Lucy swore he had a look that was a mixture of shame and disappointment on his face.

" _Was that directed at me_ _?_ _What's going on?_ _",_ she wonders as she exits the building, the last sound she heard before closing the door being Natsu's maniacal laughter as he pounces on Elfman.

Meanwhile, Levy, Jet, and Droy were catching up on old times with the two guys showering the girl with praise and admiration.

"Levy, it's so good to have you back! The guild is now a thousand times better now that you have graced it with your presence once more!", Droy cries out.

"Ah, thank you, Droy! It's great to see my friends again", Levy replies before noticing Jet watching Lucy and some random kid leave through the front door, "Something wrong, Jet?"

"Huh?", Jet says as he turns to face her, "Did you say something, Levy?"

"Is something wrong?", she repeated, "You were watching Lucy and that boy leave the building."

Jet scratches the back of his head, "Yeah, sorry about that. It's just a little weird."

Levy tilts her head, "What is?"

"Well, you see that was Romeo just now leaving with Lucy", he says

"That was Romeo? Macao's son?", Levy questions.

"Yeah", Jet answers.

"Wow, he's grown. But where did he come from and why wasn't he here yesterday?", Levy asks.

"Probably through the back door", Droy answers, "Where he was though is a question I don't have an answer for."

"You see two weeks ago we celebrated Romeo's thirteenth birthday but this is the first time he has been at the guild hall since that day", Jet began.

"And whenever we ask Macao what was going on, he simply stated that he's "dealing with some problems at the moment", or something along those lines", Droy quotes.

Levy raises an eyebrow at this, "You know, it is a little strange that he came in the guild hall and didn't make a beeline for Natsu."

"Right?", Droy adds, "I mean, I seem him around town now and then since his birthday, but he looks exhausted every time I try to greet him and he always made very little small talk before excusing himself like he was in a hurry for some reason."

"Eh...puberty maybe?", Levy says only to receive a shrug from her two teammates.

When Lucy got outside she spots Romeo sitting down in the middle of the clearing that was in front of the guild.

"Now, what exactly do you need to talk to me about, Romeo?", Lucy asks as she walks toward the center of the field and stops a couple of yards from him.

Romeo takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, "I'll get straight to the point. I turned thirteen two weeks ago and since that day, my life has changed completely", as he takes another breath, "And I need your help in this matter. More so, I need your guidance. I was going to try and find someone else but then I heard that you guys were back alive from Tenrou when I got a telepathic call from Nab."

"Are you sure you don't want me to got get Natsu?", Lucy starts up again as Romeo got up and moved closer to her, "I'm one hundred percent sure that whatever is bothering you he has a better chance of helping you with it the-"

"Please don't freak out", Romeo cuts her off.

Lucy tilts her head in confusion, "Huh?", as she then sees a magic circle for a fire appear behind the boy.

"Romeo, what's going on?", Lucy asks, a little worried over the display of magic he was showing, "What's going on?", she repeats.

"It's a summoning circle for the Far East", Romeo says, prompting Lucy to take a closer look at the circle.

"It's a what?", Lucy says before a beam of elemental energy came bursting forth from the magic circle becoming a rising pillar of fiery light that stretch toward the sky. It was so bright that Lucy was forced to shield her eyes with her arms.

Slowly but surely the light started to die down and within moments it was gone.

"Romeo, what was all that? You shouldn't be doing magic so close…to…the...", she said as she began to bring her arms down only to stop upon feeling something furry and extremely warm rubbing up against her leg. She looks toward the ground to investigate and ended up screaming to the heavens upon seeing what was touching her.

"Macao, my brat, what is the matter with you?", Makarov asks as he observes one of the oldest members of the guild looking down into his mug with a depressed look on his face. The drinking contest between him, Wakaba, Master Makarov, and Cana ended in the Card Mage's victory yet again but the wizard saint had a hunch that wasn't the reason behind Macao's sadden mood.

"It's nothing...it's...", the Purple Flare mage began before sighing, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course you can", Makarov replied.

"Well...if you were keeping a secret from someone, a secret that could change their life forever, would you tell them about it?", he started.

"Why wouldn't I? I would feel like it would be my duty to tell them", Makarov answers and Macao still hung his head low.

"Of course you would, somehow even with Ivan you're still a better father than me", he grumbles causing Makarov to cock an eyebrow at him.

"Macao, what's the matter?"

The fourth guild master of Fairy Tail lets out a sigh, "Do you remember when I told you where exactly my family line originated from?"

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!", pierces the eardrums of everyone inside of the building as the doors are kicked open by Lucy who then bolts inside and hides behind a baffle Natsu.

"Hey Lucy, what's the matter?", the dragon-slayer, confuse over the girl's bizarre behavior.

The Celestial Spirit mage points a shaking finger at the door, "T-T-T-T-that!"

The whole guild turns their attention back toward the front doors where Romeo was standing with his arms across while an annoyed expression etched onto his face.

"Romeo?", Natsu says, recognizing the scent of the boy from seven years ago, "Romeo, how have you been?"

Romeo cracks a smile, "It's good to see you again, Natsu."

"Ah, don't be like that! Come over here and give me a hug! I didn't see you yesterday!", the mage says as he tries to run over to the boy only to stop when he feels a pull on his vest. He turns his head around to look down at Lucy who was still shaking with fright, "Lucy, what's wrong? It's only Romeo over there."

"I'm not scared of him! I'm scared of that!", Lucy says just as a creature appears from the side of the door and sits down next to Romeo.

It was a large four-legged dog-like animal, with just by sitting on its hindquarters alone made it tower over Romeo and it had a pair of pointed ears and nose, and what should had been a tail was instead a long burning mass of red and orange flames dancing in the wind. Its fur was a mixture of red and orange and the heat it was emitting could be felt throughout the building. Its eyes were closed yet it felt like it wasn't hindered by this whatsoever as it looked directly into the faces of every person in the room.

"Everyone", Romeo began, "This is Kasai, a kitsune from the east."

 _ **"Hey, Short Lives! How yall doing?",**_ the creature says in a voice that sounded like a man who has been smoking since the day he was born echo throughout the room despite the fact the creature didn't open its mouth.

"He is also the Eastern Spirit of Fire and the reason why I can no longer use any magic except summoning", Romeo finishes.

" _ **Geez, Kit, you make it sound like I had a say in it**_!", Kasai nods with a smile on its lips.

**A/N: You see, I always played with the concept of Romeo having completely different magic than what he has in canon, but then I wonder, "What if he was a Summoner Mage and could only do nothing but summoning?". Then I thought, "What if I mix it up with a pokemon theme?". This is now a full-on story with Lucy being his teacher because that means.**

**Natsu (Dragon-Slayer) + Lucy (Summoner Mage)**

**Wendy (Dragon-Slayer) + Romeo (Summoner Mage)**

**Also, Kasai means "Fire" in Japanese.**

**"Short Lives", is Kasai's word for mortals in general, mainly humans.**

**Check out my other stories if you have a chance like _Fiery Hurricane of Love, Right Claw of the Dragon King, The Wild Master, and A Child of Fire and Brimstone._**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimers: I do not own Fairy Tail**

**A/N: Chapter 2, here we go.**

**Chapter 2**

**Virgo Appears**

**Two Weeks Ago**

The combination of the cool night air and his large blanket were in perfect sync as Romeo drifted off to sleep in the comfort of his room. Earlier today, he celebrated his thirteenth birthday, his crossing from boyhood into manhood as many cultures throughout Earthland dictated. Despite the void in his heart knowing that his idol and a good number of his friends weren't there to share in this important moment in the young man's life he nonetheless welcomed what few companions he had left and the gifts they brought to his household.

But now the streets outside his room were shrouded in silence as not a single soul was out at this time of night except for the crickets who sang their song from the confines of the forest as the wind carried it to the canals and streets of Magnolia. The street lights have already been lit and the taverns were the only respectable businesses whose doors were still open and patrons still mulling about though city's laws force them to stay within the buildings' interior or else spend a night in a cold jail cell and wake up to a hot hefty fine in the morning.

Back to Romeo, the boy laid in his bed his mind on the verge of crossing over into the dream realm…

Right before his eyes suddenly snap open and he instantly clutches his heart. Something powerful was nearby. He didn't know what nor did he know why but something of immense might was coming and the pressure that he was experiencing right now was like being at the bottom of the ocean floor; he couldn't breathe and he found it extremely hard to move. It was as though a boulder was lying atop his chest.

A bright light appears at the foot of his bed, flooding his room in a silvery glow and Romeo could barely make out a figure within the midst of it. Feeling the intense pressure suddenly vanish instinctively launches a fire stream from his hand at the intruder only for the figure to calmly hold up its owe hand and stop the stream mere inches away from hitting it.

" ** _THE PACT SHALL BE UPHELD",_** came a voice that sent a vibration through Romeo's body, rambling every bone within it. Before he could even recover from this though his eyes were greeted to a horrifying sight. From the hand that was currently holding back his spell came a vapor as dark as a moonless night which upon contact with his flames began to turn them black. Not only did the darkness begin to dissipate the flames not long after blackening them but it was also tracing its way down his fiery trail and straight toward his hand.

In a panic, Romeo tries to cancel his spell but finds himself unable to do so no matter how hard he struggled and within moments the darkness had completely done away with his flames and was beginning to crawl its way into his hands as he witnesses his blood veins turns black and he could feel an eerie cold creep through his arm as it made its way up. The boy now tries to shout out for help, something he wishes he would have done from the beginning but the overwhelming numbness from the darkness took away his voice as he opens his mouth but couldn't find even a sliver of it all while the figure just stood there.

Soon his entire arm was cover in black veins and now the darkness and the cold began to creep up his neck and into his head. He began to see specks of black on the outer edges of his vision that rapidly started to expand until his eyes were completely covered and the last thing he heard before he lost consciousness was the mysterious figure speaking once more…

" ** _THE PACT HAS BEEN UPHELD."_**

Darkness. That was all his mind could comprehend. An empty, desolate, freezing void that he found himself aimlessly floating through. The boy tries to call forth his fire magic to light the way but nothing came when he cast it. He tried with all of his might but still, all he saw was the never-ending abyss.

"Where am I?", he cries out only to hear his voice echo back, "Is anyone there?"

He did not have to wait long afterward though as a massive eruption of light happens some distance front of him and he sees thirteen magic circles coming forth from the dazzling light directly at him at great speeds. Just before they collided with him, he was able to make out what each of the magic circle entail.

Fire. Water. Earth. Wind. Lightning. Toxic. Metal. Plant. Ice. Darkness. Light. Mind. Soul.

**Present Day**

"Next thing I knew I was being shaken awake by my dad, but upon fully waking up and trying to summon a fireball I came to the realization I could no longer cast fire magic. No matter how many times I try, I couldn't even cast a flicker", Romeo recalls as he told Lucy and the others the story of what exactly happened the night of his birthday in the middle of the guildhall, "And the following morning we discovered Kasai here sitting in the living room with a letter in his mouth and smile on his lips."

" _ **Well, I almost always have a smile on my lips**_ ", the fiery kitsune says next to him, startling Lucy, who latches onto Natsu. She, along with everyone else, was still freak out by the fact that the creature could talk, let alone without even opening his mouth.

"Kasai's not going to bite you.", Romeo assures Lucy.

" _ **Unless you want me to.",** _Kasai snickers, " _ **You Short Lives are into some kinky stuff from what I have seen."**_

Meanwhile, Makarov was examining the creature with a detailed eye, taking in his features, "Hmm, definitely of eastern origins. I recall seeing murals of these animals everywhere when I went beyond Ishgar's borders in my youth while on a job request. Local legends said that these creatures gave humans the gift of fire in ancient times and were said to be the first teachers of fire magic", he explains before looking at Romeo, "You said he had a letter in his mouth when you first met him, correct?"

Romeo reaches into his vest's interior coat pocket and pulls out a rolled-up worn piece of parchment and hands it to the guild master, who unravels and takes a look at it.

"Huh? Eastern writing?", he says, "How were you able to read this because I'm a little rusty myself with this."

"It translates after a moment", Romeo tells him and sure enough the foreign lettering started to wrap itself into modern Fioran right before Makarov's eyes and he read aloud what it said.

**_Hear these words, mortal, and hear them well._ **

**_I have honorably upheld my end of the pact I made with your ancestor seven centuries ago and now I expect you to uphold your end of the agreement. Just as I have taken care of your family lineage by gifting them powerful magic capabilities you shall now take care of my children._ **

**_Consider that pathetic excuse for fire magic you used to wield a thing of the past because all of your magical energy shall be devoted to my children and only my children and you shall know no other magic for as long as you shall live. But worry not, mortal, for I am not without mercy and know that without magic to defend yourself, you will not last long in your land._ **

**_Give them a command and they will obey. Call upon them to give you aid and they will protect you with their lives. Summon them to strike down your enemies and they will rain death and destruction upon them but only if you have the ability to make them do so._ **

**_The one standing before you now is known as Kasai the Trickster, the Spirit of Fire, the Kitsune of the Flames. He is the first of my thirteen children who will come to be under your tutelage._ **

**_Control his playful nature, mortal, before his flames consume all that you hold dear to your heart._ **

"Kasai, stop!", Romeo's voice cries out and the entire guild turns to see the kitsune lighting the tavern on fire by running his tail across the bottom of it.

" _When did he sneak by us?",_ was on everyone's mind before they jumped into action, with Juvia shooting water out of her hand and dousing the tavern in a tidal wave. Kasai sees the water coming toward him and nimbly evades as he jumps onto the nearest table and leaps over everyone before coming down toward Romeo.

"No, Kasai, no!", the boy screams out but it was too late as Kasai collides with him and sends him straight to the floor with a crash and when the smoke settles everyone saw the spirit sitting on top of Romeo with a mischievous smile on his lips.

"Get off, now!", he orders and Kasai retreats off of him.

" _ **Aw, why you have to be so mean? I was just having some fun to kill my boredom**_ ", he said in a saddened tone as he bows his head but Romeo saw through the act.

"No, you're not supposed to set things on fire! We talk about this!", Romeo screams as he gets up and points a finger in Kasai's face, "Especially when there are people around!"

 _ **"Fine then",**_ the kitsune said with a huff.

"Hey, Romeo", Lucy says as she places a hand on the boy's shoulder, "Maybe we ought not to try and discipline the spirit of fire or whatever he is in a wooden building filled with people."

Romeo looks at Lucy and lets out a sigh, "I'm sorry. You're right, but Kasai has almost burned down my house four times since I got him and it's starting to wear on my nerves."

"That explains all the smoke I've been smelling recently", Wakaba said off-handily.

"Why don't you just close his gate then?", Lucy suggests only to have Romeo shakes his head at her.

"Kasai just comes back on his own a few hours later", Romeo explain, ignoring the laughter coming from the spirit, "I had to formulate a schedule to where I can send him away, get some sleep, wake up in the middle of the night to dispel him again when they come back, and finally go back to sleep just to some shuteye before he summons himself once again. I have gotten very little sleep over the past weeks."

" _He can close the gate whenever he wants with no training whatsoever? And Kasai can come back just a little while later whenever he wishes?_ _",_ Lucy thought before returning to Romeo, "Do you have any idea about this "pact" thing the letter was talking about?"

Romeo throws a finger and a hard glare at his father across the way, "Ask him. He knows all about it."

Lucy and the others all turn to see Macao scratching his head nervously and Natsu notices Kasai let off a small growl in the direction of the fourth guild master.

"Well, the truth is a lot more complicated than that. Hell, I didn't even know about it until my father told-" he began.

"Tell us the whole story, Macao", Master Makarov says.

Macao looks toward Romeo who was still glaring and back at the guild master before sighing, "Alright, alright. Remember when I first join Fairy Tail and told you that my family line originating from the Far East."

Makarov shrugs, "To tell you the truth, I vaguely recall that conversation. I believe it after you and Wakaba had your first fight with each other and I was punishing you the both of you. I had you two tell each other about yourselves so you could get on friendlier terms with one another if I recall correctly."

"Good times", the Smoke Mage chuckles.

"Yeah it was, but anyway, I told you that my family came across the eastern mountains of the Pergrande Kingdom about three hundred years ago and that our surname use to be Konboruto", Macao states.

"Konboruto?", Levy questions, catching everyone's attention, "As in the legendary elemental Konboruto's mages of Eastern Earthland?"

"The very same", Macao answers.

"You are from that family line?", Levy asks as she points at him.

"I can't tell if I should feel insulted or flatter by the tone you're using", Macao comments with a scowl, "But anyway, Romeo and I belong to a branch of that line that split off from the main family and came to the west. The name was changed to Conbolt upon them settling in what is now present-day Stella."

Makarov nods and then turns his attention to Levy, "What do you know about the Konboruto? I don't recall hearing about them during my travels in the eastern lands."

Levy shrugs, "From what I read in encyclopedias and whatnot, they used to be the top magic family over there in the east; producing mages who were so powerful in the ways of the elemental magics that a number of them held positions in royal courts across the region simply due to their abilities. Royals scholars, generals, advisors, you name it someone from that family held it. But in the past hundred years or so, they have fallen from grace and prestige for some reason."

"That's because the pact was getting closer and closer to being fulfilled", Macao answers in a tone void of emotions, "At least, that's what my father and grandfather told me."

All eyes were on the Fourth Guild Master now as everyone waited for him to continue.

"It was on the eve of my thirteen birthday when I was pulled aside by the both of them and told the origins of our family's expertise with elemental magic", Macao began, "How one of my ancestors made a pact with the Elemental Spirit Emperor."

"The Elemental what now?", Gajeel questions, "Who the hell is that?"

"The Elemental Spirit Emperor is the older brother of the Celestial Spirit King and technically what you would call my uncle", a voice says from behind Lucy and she was surprised to turn around and see The Maiden Celestial Spirit standing behind her.

"Virgo? Where did you come from? I didn't summon you.", Lucy asks but is stop by Virgo holding up a hand.

"I felt a strong spiritual summon that wasn't of a Celestial Spirit appear near you and thus I was given permission by the Celestial Spirit King to investigate. But before all that, Princess", Virgo says before engulfing Lucy in a tight hug.

"Ack?!", was the mage responds to the uncommon show of affection from the maid.

"It's good to see you again after all these years, Princess", Virgo says with sincerity instead of her usual nearly emotionless voice.

Lucy was momentarily taken aback by the statement but after a moment returns the hug to the Celestial Spirit, "It's good to see you too, Virgo."

"Look, this sappy reunion is great and all, but we are kind of in the middle of something here", Gajeel grumbles only to get a nasty look from Levy in response.

" _ **Hey, Digger Chick, long time no see!**_ ", the kitsune speaks up toward Virgo and the maid releases Lucy to kneel at the fire spirit.

"Kasai-sama, I am honored to be in your presence once more", the maid greets, "Whatever you need from me you need only ask and I shall do so."

" _ **You got it!**_ ", came the response as the fire spirit nods his head.

"Virgo?", Lucy says while looking back and forth between the two of them, "You guys know each other?"

"Princess, Kasai-sama is one of the thirteen elemental spirits and thus someone who I must show utmost respect to. He and the rest of his kin are older than the Celestial Spirits by countless millenniums, born before this planet even took shape", Virgo explains from her kneeling position before turning an eye up at the kitsune, "By your leave may I arise, Kasai-sama?"

 _ **"Of course you can"**_ as he gives another nod.

"Thank you", and Virgo rises off of her knees and turns to face Lucy, "Kasai-sama is a powerful spirit indeed. Whoever is able to summon him must truly be a summoner with great magical potential."

"Ahem", someone coughs next to Virgo and she turns to see Romeo standing next to Kasai, "That would be me."

The room is eerily quiet as the maid stares at Romeo and then Kasai, blinking her eyes every few moments.

"Um, Virgo?", Lucy finally asks.

"Princess, is this what you humans call a "jest" or a joke if you will?", Virgo says while pointing at Romeo, "Truly there is no way a human of his magical level should be able to able to summon let alone control someone like Kasai-sama."

Romeo could feel his annoyance starting to rise at the insult and Kasai started to let off a growl next to him, directed at Virgo.

"I thought this child was nothing more than a fanatical servant of the pink-hair dragon slayer from all my past observations of him", Virgo carried on.

"Don't you think you're going a little far there, Virgo?", Lucy question, hoping to calm the situation before it got out of hand.

"Clearly there's some sort of a "prank" as you humans call it, going on and this boy is just the centerpiece of it, his magical ability so pathetic that-", Virgo finishes just in time to feel a chill traveling down her back and she turns to see Kasai slowly stalking toward her, his eyes now open revealing molten red irises while his claws were extended and his teeth were bared. His tail began to flare up and soon almost all the members of Fairy Tail except for Natsu and Romeo felt like they were being smothered by the heat that was coming off of the beast. The floorboards underneath him started to burn away and everyone in the vicinity immediately put some distance between them and the spirit.

"Kasai, stop it right now!", Romeo shouts as he snaps out of his own anger and the kitsune instantly reverted back to his prior form, the sheer heat he was giving off earlier now gone as if it was never there and his eyes close once again.

Lucy is surprised to see Viro instantly go to the floor on her knees, her forehead touching the floor and her hands stretch out toward the elemental spirit as her whole body shook.

"Forgive me for my insolence, Kasai-sama! I did not know that this boy was truly your summoner!", Virgo shouts in a voice that Lucy has never heard her use before. It almost sounded like she was afraid. But that was impossible, Virgo wasn't afraid of anything. But her voice along with the expression on her face told Lucy otherwise.

Kasai merely glares down at the maiden before opening his mouth.

" _ **You know, I was trying to be nice at first, hoping that you learn your lesson from last time but apparently I was wrong!",**_ Kasai snaps.

" _What is he talking about?",_ Lucy wonders.

 _ **"I don't care much that you're insulting the Kit but insulting his magic ability is also indirectly insulting me and making it sound like I'm some spirit who can be summoned so easily by anyone! Therefore, you will remove yourself from my sight at once or else a certain Lightning Spirit will hear about this!**_ ", he screeches and Romeo turns to look at him with a stun expression.

"Yes, Kasai-sama! At once!", Virgo says before standing up and facing Lucy, "Princess, I'm afraid I must depart earlier than expected once Kasai-sama's displeasure toward me has passed."

"Huh?", is all Lucy had time to say before Virgo began drilling into the ground and disappearing from her sight, leaving a giant hole in her wake in the middle of the guild hall floor.

"Oh, come on! Right in the middle of the guild hall? You were like ten feet from the door!", Macao wails at the damage that was caused by the Celestial Spirit.

Lucy ignores the man and looks at Kasai, then Romeo before looking down at the hole the maid spirit just made, "What just happen?!"

 _ **"The Celestials have gotten quite ballsy in recent centuries",**_ came the reply as the kitsune turns his head up in a huff.

**A/N:** **Konboruto is the Romaji name for Conbolt according to the Fairy Tail Wiki. Also, there are 13 main Celestial Spirits, (yes, Ophiuchus is a Celestial Spirit) and therefore there are 13 Elemental Spirits. More information about them, the Elemental Spirit Emperor, and the pact in the coming chapters if I press on with this story.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimers: I do not own Fairy Tail, Dungeon Dragon, or Pathfinder.**

**A/N: Last chapter before we actually get to see some training and action.**

**Lucy Takes On A Pupil**

**Chapter 3**

The five of them sat around in a circle outside; Romeo, Lucy, Natsu, Happy, and Kasai looking at one another while the rest of the guild stayed inside finishing repairs while Macao talked to Master Makarov. Lucy decided that it would best to talk to Romeo and Kasai away from the guild hall and everyone else but brought Natsu along just to be on the safe side.

"So...?", Lucy started while eyeing the Fire Spirit and scooting closer to Natsu, still warily after his outburst, "Romeo, how about you tell us your side of the story?

"Ain't much to talk about. Like my dad said, some ancestor of mine from way back when made a pact with the Emperor dude for our family line to become stronger in magic and now I'm paying for it", Romeo shrugs, "And now I have to deal with Kasai."

" _ **You make it sound like it's a bad thing**_ ", came the response from the burning kitsune as he stretches himself, scorching the grass underneath him.

"But maybe there is a way to break the pact", Lucy says while putting her hand on her chin, "If you could somehow find a way out of it…."

" _ **No can do! Binding contract and all! Completely unbreakable!**_!", the kitsune yips, startling Lucy and causing Natsu to take a defensive stance.

"Okay", Lucy said slowly, "I actually have a question for you, Kasai."

" _ **Let her rip, C-Spirit",**_ he replies.

"C-Spirit?", Lucy questions.

 _ **"You're the summoner for most of the Celestials guys, so yeah, it fits",**_ Kasai states.

"Fine, whatever", Lucy sighs for she already picked up on the Elemental Spirit's habit for giving everyone nicknames, "Now could you tell us what exactly are you?"

 _ **"Ahh, you Short Lives and your questions",**_ Kasai chuckles, " _ **If you must know, I am fire**_ _ **in its purest state. The raw unfiltered, uncontrollable, power of the flame put into a solid physical form, given flesh and sentience",**_ he explains as sits on his rear and brings himself up to his full height, " _ **To stand against me at my strongest is to stand against nature itself. I am no less a force of nature when I'm at the peak of my power."**_

Natsu, Lucy, and Happy look at Kasai in awe for a period of time, with the dragon-slayer even slightly drooling out his mouth.

Eventually, Lucy snaps out of it though, "Forgive me but what was that you said about the contract from earlier?"

**In The Guild Hall**

"The contract was made gods know when in the Far East and it's an unbreakable pact", Macao explains to Master Makarov back in the guild hall, "For centuries the Elemental Spirit Emperor granted my family line with esteem prowess in the elemental magics and now we must be the caretakers of the elemental spirits, at least that's what my father and grandfather told me on my thirteenth birthday."

"Hmm", Makarov lets out as he nods his head, "And you hesitated in explaining this to Romeo why?"

"I thought it was a joke. Like there was no possible way they were being serious", Macao confess, "I mean, I have heard about the Celestial Spirit King, but the Elemental Spirit Emperor? I seriously thought they were trying to pull the wool over my eyes."

"Fair enough, the culture of the Far East is known to only to a few here in Ishgar", Makarov says, "But earlier you said something about the pact being fulfilled. After Levy said the Konboruto had fallen from grace."

Macao grabs the mug next to his hand and takes a long gulp before speaking, "It was something my father told me not long after Romeo was born, about how the future generations of Conbolts will never surpass the generations before them."

"Seems like a strange thing to tell your son right after he had a kid of his own", Makarov states.

"That's what I thought and I blew him off before he could explain it to me", Macao continues, "I thought it was nothing until I notice something odd about Romeo and his magic."

Makarov says nothing but gives Macao a look that told him to keep going.

"It was a few years ago, I say Romeo had just turn eleven a month or two prior, that I spotted him in the forest practicing his fire magic. He was trying to make a fire whip hot enough to slash through branches and he was failing miserably", Macao explained.

"Cut your son some slack, Macao. He was only eleven", Makarov quietly berates the man.

"No, it was because he was eleven years old that I started to worry. I learn to do that when I was ten. I recall my dad saying he learn it at nine and my grandfather did it when he was eight", Macao says, "So it got me thinking, maybe my dad was on to something but he passed on two years before that."

"So my dad got in contact with my great-grandfather's brother who was somehow still alive and ask him", Romeo tells Lucy, Natsu, and Happy while Kasai was laid out on his back basking in the sunlight, "And he told him that the ancient pact came with a certain clause."

"And what was that?", Lucy asks.

"That with every generation, the Elemental Spirit Emperor's presence within our bloodline would get weaker and weaker until he was fully gone and that would signify his end of the pact and the begin of ours.", Romeo told her as he rested his face on his hands, "And here we are with everything getting dumped on me."

"I think you need to see this from a positive standpoint, Romeo", Lucy says trying to find the silver lining.

"I can't cast fire magic or any type of magic besides summoning, Lucy, so I fail to see the bright side to this", Romeo counters.

"Yeah, but...", Lucy tries only to get interrupted.

"All I ever wanted to be since I was a little boy was a fire mage like Natsu, even more so after I thought he died", Romeo says before looking over at the dragon-slayer, "But now you're back yet here I am unable to show you how good of a fire mage I had become while you were gone", he says before laying on the ground and looks up at the cloudy sky, "I knew life wasn't fair but this is ridiculous, especially over something I had no say in. The only upside, if there is one, is the fact that at least it's not real fire that comes shooting out of his summoning circles or else there would be a giant hole in my bedroom ceiling."

Natsu and the others could only look on in silence, looking at each other hoping that one of them would say something to cheer the boy up but alas everyone was a lost for words. A snicker could be heard from Kasai, his wide smile showing off his many sharp teeth.

" _ **Life ain't fair for you Short Lives, is it?"**_

Romeo only replies with a glare all the while Lucy watch and observe how close the fire spirit was to him, especially his scorching tail.

"Hey Romeo", she says after studying them for a few more moments.

"What?", he replies while still looking upward.

"Do you feel any sort of heat when you're by Kasai?", she asks, "I notice earlier that you pretty close to him when he got mad at Virgo and flare up yet you show no signs of it bothering you."

"No, I don't. Kasai can control his flames so they don't always burn anything around it. Which makes the fact that he willingly tried to burn down the guild hall more frustrating.", Romeo states before glaring at the spirit who turns his head away with a laugh, " But isn't that a common thing for Celestial Spirit Summoner and such? Your summons can't hurt you, directly or indirectly?", he asks.

Lucy couldn't hold back the snort that came following his question and she put a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing out loud, "You don't remember Aquarius, do you?"

Romeo raises his head off the ground to look at Lucy, "Is that cow or the horse arrow guy?"

Lucy shakes her head, "Neither, she's the mermaid who's never happy to see me when I summon her. It's a coin flip whether I call her to help me in a fight whether she'll do that or try to kill me. I know she can't but damn if she hasn't got close."

 _ **"Well, yeah, that's Water Hag for ya",**_ Kasai comments.

Romeo snaps his fingers, "Oh yeah, that reminds me", he says as he sits up, "I want to know if you can help me in training Kasai."

"Eh?", Lucy says in surprise, "You want me to train you?"

"Well yeah. You're the only summoner I know of besides that one chick in Sabertooth and I don't even know her name", Romeo tells her, "I mean, how many of the Celestial Spirits can you summon?"

"Hmm?", Lucy says as mulls over in her mind just how many contracts she actually had at the moment, "I have ten golden keys along with four silver keys I believe", she answers before an idea occur to her, "Oh wait, I can use him", as she presents a silver key with a cross on it.

Romeo, Natsu, and Happy tilt their heads with Kasai doing so soon afterward to mimic Romeo.

"Hey Lucy, what key is that again?", the dragon-slayer asks as the Celestial Spirit mage held the key out.

" ** _Open, Gate of the Southern Cross!_** ", she castes as a Silver Celestial Gate opens up in the field next to them and through it appears the cross-shape form of Crux, hovering in the air while in a deep sleep.

"Hey, Crux!", Lucy yells, snapping the spirit awake.

"Oh my! What is it?", he shouts before looking down in front of him at a grinning Kasai and for the first time, Lucy saw Crux get on the ground on his knees, bowing at the fire spirit.

"Kasai-sama! It's my honor to be in your present! Virgo mention that you have been summoned after so long but I didn't think it was true!", Crux says, receiving a nod from the kitsune in response.

"Is this going to be a recurring thing with the Celestial Spirits?", Lucy asks Crux, "Because Virgo was doing it earlier."

"If I may, Kasai-sama", Crux says.

" _ **Yeah, you can get up**_ ", came the reply and soon Crux was once again floating in mid-air looking at Lucy.

"Now what is it that you need of me?", he asks.

Lucy stares at the spirit for a moment, surprise that he didn't instantly go back to sleep, "First, I want to know the relationship between the Celestial Spirits and the Elemental Spirits."

"Well, I can tell you that without even scanning the Spirit World though you could have simply asked Kasai-sama yourself", Crux says, only to receive a headshake from the fire spirit.

 _ **"Nah, I wouldn't have told them. I'm done with telling stuff to the Short Lives for today, I'm going to go back to basking",**_ Kasai states as he laid down and stares soaking in the sun's rays.

"Lot of help you are", Lucy grumbles to herself before looking at Crux, "If you will."

"You see, both the Celestial Spirit King and the Elemental Spirit Emperor are sons of the Grand Spirit God", Crux began.

"Grand Spirit God?", Lucy says aloud but spirit presses on.

"Therefore, since the Zodiac Celestial Spirits are in a way seen as the Celestial Spirit King's children and the Elemental Spirits, such as Kasai-sama, are directly the Elemental Spirit Emperor's children, they are all cousins in a way. The Elemental Spirits are the older group of cousin and the Celestial Spirits are the younger and thus must show respect to them."

"I see. That explains all the kneeling", Lucy voices, "Why have I never heard of an Elemental Spirit Summoner until now? Are they rare?"

"Extremely", Crux says, "There is only one every five hundred years or so and unlike the Celestial Spirit mages, there's is a delicate process to summon another Elemental Spirit after the first one."

Lucy nods at this, "Okay, last question. What happened between Virgo and the Lightning Elemental Spirit in the past?"

"Forgive me, but by Spirit World law, I'm am forbidden from sharing that information with you", Crux answers.

"Seriously?", Lucy huffs.

Suddenly a voice calls out and catches everyone's attention.

"Lucy, Natsu, Happy", and everyone turns around to see Erza and Gray standing there while Wendy was waiting at the doorway with Carla, her eyes unnaturally focus on Romeo it seemed, "We have a job to do that can help us get some quick cash."

Money signs appear in Lucy's eyes, "Really?!", as she subconsciously closes the gate for Crux and sent him back to the Spirit World, "How much is it?"

"Monster clearing near Oak Town", Erza explains, "Two hundred and seventy thousand jewels and we leave in the morning. Lamia Scale sent it our way to help us out."

"Oak Town?", Lucy questions, "Isn't that where Phantom Lord use to be?

"Yeah, it used to be", Gajeel grumbles as he and Juvia come up to the group, "That's why we're coming with you because we know the area. Apparently without a guild in the area no more the monsters have been getting out of control lately."

"Oh", Romeo says almost downtrodden, "I guess I'll see you guys when you get back", he said before noticing Lucy looking down at him with a smile that sent chills down his back.

"Oh no, no, no, no. You don't get off that easy. I'm going to start training you en route to the job."

"Eh?", is all Romeo manages to get out, "You're going to train me?"

"Yes I am, you're coming with us tomorrow so pack your things because your first lesson in Summoning Magic begins in the morning, taught by me, Lucy Heartfilia, Fairy Tail's residential Celestial Spirit Mage!", she declares as she gives a fist pump.

**Later that night**

"Ahhhhhh! I have no idea what I'm doing!", Lucy declares as Alzack, Bisca, and Asuka watch in shock and amazement as she made a mess of their living room as she had a clutter of books and notes all strung out on the floor and the living room table that she was sitting at, frantically flipping through pages with a pair of Gale-Force Reading Glasses, "Who would have thought teaching magic would be so hard?!"

"Anyone could have told you that", Levy, who was basically dragged into this mess, says from across the table, "Lucy, you and I both know you never taught anyone magic before so why did you agree to this?"

"Because all great mages take on students!", Lucy whines.

"Yeah, but they're fully experienced in their own magic so they're perfectly capable of passing along their knowledge to others", Levy points out, "While having ten gold keys does makes you a highly talented Celestial Spirit Mage, I'm not sure it puts you on the same level as a wizard saint."

"Alright, alright", Lucy says as her head hits the table, "My ego got the best of me, okay? But come on, who else at the guild can claim that they're a magic teacher?"

"Master Makarov taught his son and Laxus their first set of magic, Macao can because he initially taught Romeo fire magic before he lost it, Wakaba taught his daughter, Lindsay, smoke magic. I think Mirajane has taught a few people Transformation Magic in the past", Levy started to list off.

"We're starting to teach Asuka the basics of Gun Magic if only in the marksmanship category", Bisca chides in.

"Okay, okay, I see your point; but besides from parents and Mirajane how many others can claim that title?", Lucy says causing Levy to actually think on the question.

"Well, none that I could think of", the Solid Script mage admits

"Exactly", Lucy says, "By helping Romeo with his new magic, I might be able to stand out in the guild."

Levy gives her friend a quizzical look, "Stand out? What you mean by that?". This statement catches Alzack and Bisca's attention as the two of them came in to sit on the couch in their living room while Asuka played with her toy guns on the floor.

Lucy lets out a breath, "Look, even before S-Class exams, Acnologia, and everything else, I noticed that I rely on my spirits way too much. Unlike Natsu, Ezra, and the others, I can't hold my own very well in a fight without help. I'm pretty sure Wendy could even beat me in a fight", she admitted before stars appear in her eyes, "Speaking of Wendy, you should have seen how much Romeo was blushing when I mention her name."

"Really? Do you think he has a crush on her?", Levy giggles.

"I bet every gun I have that he does!", Bisca adds as she appears next to Levy, "Come to think of it, the only interaction that I know of that he has had with a girl is probably Lindsay or Asuka. The first one he hasn't talk to in two years and the other is well Asuka. This could be his first crush!"

"Do you think something could happen between those two? What does Wendy think about him?", Lucy asks her friends.

"Don't know, but they're going to have to talk to each other eventually. Maybe even tomorrow.", Levy answers.

All three ladies squeal with delight while Alzack watches on with a confounded look on his face.

"Um, shouldn't yall get back to the manner at hand?", he asks, prompting the girls to all look at him, "You know, about why Lucy feels the need to have to stand out at the guild?"

"Oh yeah, that's right", Lucy snaps, "Anyway, I thought that by assisting Romeo with this whole Elemental Spirits thing I might at least be able to contribute more to Fairy Tail."

"You honestly think you haven't given enough to the guild? What happened with Phantom Lord wasn't your fault, Lucy", Levy tells her only to be wave off.

"I know, I know. But I just feel like that I can do more, you see. I feel that if I can't be a one-man army like Natsu and the others then I could at least help my fellow guild members with their problems and help them get better", Lucy explains before reaching over and taking Levy by the hands.

"And it would mean the world to me if you came and help me out tomorrow, Levy! I could really use your assistance!", she cries out with a river of tears streaming down her face.

Levy just shakes her head and lets out a sigh, "Fine, I'll go pack my things."

"Oh, thank you, Levy! Thank you! Thank you!", Lucy cheers, "Tomorrow is going to be amazing!"

**A/N: It was a last-minute decision for Lucy to have some assistance in teaching Romeo and I figure Levy was the best choice. Initially, it was going to be Master Makarov but I decided it should be someone of the younger generation. Also, I guess I should start laying the groundwork for RoWen. Action and training next chapter.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**First Lesson**

**The Next Morning**

" _ **Come on, Kit! Let's go burn some stuff or something! I'm bored!**_ ", the kitsune groans as he circles around Romeo while the duo waited at the Magnolia Train Station for the others or more so, they were waiting outside the train station in the small grassy field. Romeo did his best to ignore the stares being sent his way by the other standby passengers, no doubt concerning the large creature pacing around him, as his mind dwelled deep into thought.

" _Crap! Crap! Crap! Crap! I'm going on a job with Natsu and the others! What if I mess up? What if Natsu doesn't think I'm strong enough? Wait a minute, I can't cast any magic, I can only summon Kasai! How am I going to fight any monsters? Why didn't I say no to coming?! I mean, she's going to be coming as well!"_

"Hey Romeo?", a voice calls out, breaking him out of his self-tirade, "Why are you way over there?"

Romeo and Kasai look toward the train station to see Wendy standing on the platform in her white dress alongside Carla, staring directly at the boy.

Now the former Rainbow Fire Mage's mind went into meltdown as he was now looking straight into the eyes of the very person he has been trying to avoid since the day they came back. He felt his cheeks heat up, temporarily making him think that he got his fire magic back, as he remembers back to the other day when he saw her for the first time in seven years.

**Flashback**

" _ **Kit, you okay? Kiiiitttttttt?**_ ", the fire spirit says as he watches Romeo pace back and forth in his living room, murmuring to himself.

"This can't be real! This has to be some kind of joke! That's what it is! It's a ploy to get me to come back to the guild hall because I haven't been there in two weeks! That must be it!", Romeo ranted, "There's no way Nab could be telling the truth! There's no way Natsu and the others are back! Tenrou Island was completely obliterated! That's what the Magic Council's report said!"

Sensing his summoner's distraught, Kasai move toward him and began pacing alongside the boy, timing his turns with Romeo's.

"Maybe I'm overthinking this, the lack of sleep has been getting to me recently", Romeo says to himself, "Maybe, just maybe, Natsu and the others are alive and well. Maybe they are at Fairy Tail right now. No way Nab and the others would use something like this to get me to the guild hall, that would too low of a blow."

Romeo stops and finally notices Kasai walking alongside him and glares him down, "You know, I wouldn't be this stress out if it wasn't for you."

 _ **"Hey, you got a problem with the Emperor, take it up with the Emperor",**_ was Kasai's response.

"Say Natsu is back, how am I suppose to face him with my fire magic gone, huh? How can I say he's my idol ever again if I can't even cast a simple fireball?" Romeo goes on.

But then a thought occurs to him, "Wait a minute, if Natsu and the others that went to Tenrou are alive then that must mean that Lucy is with them", Romeo says before snapping his fingers, "She could probably help me with all of this. She was a Celestial Spirit Mage and she had a bunch of keys if I remember correctly. She would be perfect!"

Kasai shrugs, " _ **I guess. Never really got that whole key thing with the Celestial Spirits. It seemed like too much of a hassle."**_

"Oh, that's rich coming from you", Romeo grumbles as he looks out the window toward the forest where the guild hall resided, a thousand thoughts running through his head. After an eternity of standing there, he lets out a sigh.

"It wouldn't hurt to go at least see if they are alive and well. But as much as it pains me I may have to hold off seeing Natsu and talk to Lucy first to see if she'll help me", he says as he turns his attention back to a smiling Kasai, "And I don't need you scaring everyone, not until I'm ready to show you to everyone."

 **"** ** _Oh, come on, Kit, let me meet your friends_** **!",** as the spirit growls as a summoning circle appears underneath him and he disappears from sight.

A while later, Romeo was going up the trail leading to the guild hall, rehearsing his lines as he approaches his destination.

"Hey Lucy, good to see that you're alive. How about you help me out with my new summoning magic which I got because someone seven centuries ago made a deal without thinking about the future consequences?", Romeo says before shaking his head, "No, that won't do. Hey Lucy, you're alive after seven years of being dead! That's great and all but I have a problem that I could really use your help on!"

The former fire magic now turn summoner mage lets out a roar of frustration, "Gods, that will definitely get her to help me! Geez, get your sh-!", he started to say only to stop mid-sentence as he found his words caught in his throat as time stops all around him as he glazes upon the entranceway to the guild hall where a blue-hair angel was currently standing at.

**Flashback Ends**

"Romeo? Hello?", Wendy says as she waves a hand in front of the boy who seemed lost in thought, "You okay there?"

Romeo was still looking at the spot on the platform where he first saw Wendy and Carla his eyes glue there despite the girl and her exceed now being directly in front of him. Kasai, sensing the uneasiness coming from his summoner, nudges his nose into the back of Romeo's left kneecap. This almost sends him falling to the ground but he catches himself and thus snaps out of his trance, his black eyes now lock with the soft brown eyes of the Sky Dragon-Slayer.

"Hey, Romeo", she smiles, "Long time no see."

"Um-um-um", Romeo stammers out as he struggles to speak while Kasai picks up on his rapid heartbeat.

"Wow, you really have grown up, haven't you? You're no longer that little boy I saw when I first came to Fairy Tail", Wendy says.

"Um-um-um", Romeo keeps saying, unable to form a coherent sentence as sweat started to appear on his brow.

"Use your words when you speak to someone", Carla criticizes only to jump back in surprise as a few flames dance off of Kasai and almost hit the exceed.

"Hey, watch it!", she shouts out as she glares at Kasai who returns it with a mischievous smile. Seeing that Romeo was getting nowhere with Wendy, the fire spirit moves to rub himself up next to Wendy's side, catching the girl's attention.

"Oh, hi Kasai, how are you today?", the girl asks as the spirit continues with its rubbing, "Wow, you're not as hot as I thought you would be."

" _ **Oh please, I'm really a big softly when you get down to it**_ ", the embodiment of fire yips as he prances around Wendy in a circle, completely ignoring the glares from Carla and the confusion looks from Romeo.

" _What is he up too?",_ the boy thought, suspicious of the kitsune and his intentions even as he allows Wendy to pet his head, his flames not harming her whatsoever.

" _ **Wow, you're such a pure and innocent little girl and you know what they say about pure and innocent little girls**_ ", the spirit said right before he grabbed the hem of Wendy's dress with his mouth and flicks his head up, " _ **They always wear white underneath**_!", and the entire lower half of Wendy's dress flings upward in full view of Romeo and the boy got an eyeful of the what it was covering up, " ** _Or in your case, stripes."_**

The girl froze in place, her face now a glowing beacon as her mind tries to register what exactly just happen as steam could be seen coming out of her ears. Romeo was in a no better position as he became a statue whose eyes widened in shock and were glued to Wendy's dress which had since fallen back in place. Carla's mouth was wide open as she struggles to form words that could help her make sense of the situation while Kasai just sat there, smiling as if nothing happens.

"Eh-eh-eh", Wendy finally manages to get out, snapping Romeo out of his trance and he looks up to see the dragon-slayer on the verge of tears though that did nothing to distract him from the vex expression that settles on her face, one that promise pain.

"W-Wendy, this isn't what it looks like! I had nothing to do with that!", Romeo blurts out as he throws his hands up in front of him, "Kasai did that all on his own, I swear!" he pleads but it all fell on deaf ears.

"Per-Per-PERVERT!", Wendy screams out, letting loose a miniature roar that kicks up a dust storm and sends the Elemental Spirit Mage flying through the air.

"Oh, gods, why me?!" could be heard throughout the train station along with the cackling laughter of the trickster fire spirit.

"Do we have all the books on summoning?", Lucy asks as she looks over the checklist in her hand while the rest of Team Natsu, Levy, Juvia, and Gajeel trail behind her.

"Yes, Lucy, Natsu's hauling them", Levy answers.

"What about all the notes we took?"

"Gray's carrying them and he's having a hard time seeing because they're blocking his view."

"What about the pie charts and graphs?"

"Erza has all ninety-eight of them."

"What about the books on Eastern Culture?"

"Lucy, is all of this necessary for your first lesson? We're going to be on a three-hour train ride and then do a job right afterward. I don't see you having time to teach Romeo", Gray speaks out as he tries not to collide with the people walking past him.

"And that's where you would be wrong, Gray! For you see I've planned ahead and made a schedule that perfectly accommodates the train ride as well as the job", Lucy rebuttals as she pulls out another sheet of paper from the middle of her cleavage, "See here, ten-fifteen: broad the train. Preferably get an empty car. Ten minutes set aside to get everything set up and we move straight into our first lesson at ten-twenty-five. At eleven-thirty, we take a short restroom break and we move back into-" she stops as she notices a large crowd ahead of her was looking outward toward the field next to the train station.

"What's going on here?", Levy asks as Gajeel moves ahead of her and easily pushes through the crowd, not so much shoving them out of his way but the people themselves getting out of the way upon seeing it was the Iron Dragon-Slayer behind them. Eventually, Gajeel got to the edge of the platform and found a most peculiar sight, one that baffles him as he watches a tearful Wendy crying about how she can never get married now while Romeo was lying unconscious on the ground not too far away. Carla was next to the girl trying to comfort her all while Kasai was rolling on the ground, howling with laughter.

"Oh man", Gajeel grumbles, "Hey, Bunny Girl", he calls out behind him, "You may want to move your schedule up a bit until we make sure Spirit Boy is okay."

A little while later, Romeo was up, Kasai was sent back to the Spirit World, everyone got on the train and both Lucy and Levy was sitting across from the boy in question within an empty cart near the caboose while everyone else was in the car ahead of them and soon they were on their way to Oak Town.

For five agonizing minutes, Romeo avoided eye contact with either girl, choosing instead to stare down at the table while the young ladies couldn't take their eyes off him.

"I….", Lucy started, stopping herself in an attempt to find the right words to say, "I can't say I'm surprised by Kasai's mischievous behavior mostly because how I've seen him act along with seeing how Taurus is the pretty much the same way with me and Loke being Loke so I know it's not uncommon among spirits. It's just…."

"We never figure that he would be so bold as to, you know, do that to Wendy", Levy says before pointing a finger at Romeo, "Are you sure you had nothing to do with that?"

"Of course not! Why would I do that to Wendy?!", Romeo shouts, slamming his hands on the table as he rises out of his seat, "That was all Kasai!"

"Okay, okay, we believe you and we told Wendy as much though Carla needed some convincing, as well as Erza but she promises she won't skin you alive for "Defiling Wendy's purity" as she said", Lucy states, trying to calm the boy's nerves, "We just had to make sure."

Romeo slouches back into the sit and bangs his head on the table, mimicking Lucy's movement from last night while over at the Connells, "She hates me now."

"You don't know that for sure and you shouldn't dwell on such thoughts", Levy assures him before looking over at Lucy, "How about we get started?"

"Excellent idea, Levy!", Lucy says as she reaches into the seat behind them at grabs three notebooks. She hands one to Levy and another to Romeo before placing her own in front of her, "First things first, what can you tell us about Kasai?"

Romeo gives Lucy a look that conveys to her that he didn't understand what was going on, "Come again, Lucy?"

"I said, what can you tell us about Kasai?", Lucy repeats, "The first trick to being a great summoner is knowing your summons inside and out. You must know all of their strengths, all of their weaknesses. What they enjoy doing, what they don't enjoy doing. What makes them happy and what makes them sad. More than just being their summoner you must also be their friend."

Levy couldn't help but admire the way Lucy was approaching the first lesson, even if it causes them more than a couple of hours of sleep last night setting it up, " _She is really getting into this."_

"So I'm supposed to try and be friends with Kasai?", Romeo asks, receiving a nod from Lucy in exchange, "Even though he tries to burn down my house multiple times and got me blown away by Wendy all so he could get a laugh out of it?"

Lucy holds up a finger, "There's nothing wrong with putting your foot down and reminding your summons that you are in charge if they step out of line. It's important that Kasai and any other of the Elemental Spirits, whenever and however you may get them, know that you are the boss."

"Okay, I guess that makes sense", Romeo says before writing some notes down, completely missing the smile on Lucy's lips.

" _This is going great!",_ the Celestial Spirit mage tells herself before continuing on, "Now, what can you tell me about Kasai?"

"He loves to turn up the heat in a room in an effort to get people's attention", Romeo tells her while still taking down notes, "The first fire started because I ignore him for so long that one of our kitchen chairs burst into flames."

"Oh", Lucy said, caught off-guard by the boy's bluntness, "O-Okay, but what else can you tell me?"

"He leaves claw marks on the furniture and it's going to cost quite a bit to replace them all."

"I think we're discussing the wrong things", Levy interjects.

"He also likes to snatch food off my plate, not because he's hungry but because he just wants to mess with me sometimes", Romeo kept on going.

"Okay, okay", Lucy claps, "Enough of that, let's move on to combat", as she takes up her notebook and pen, "What are Kasai's attacks and abilities?"

"Attacks and what now?", Romeo questions.

"Attacks and abilities", Levy repeats, "What can Kasai do in a fight?"

"Ooooooh", Romeo says while drumming his fingers on the table, "Yeah, funny thing about that."

"Romeo", says Lucy as she puts down her writing utensils, "You have been training with Kasai in magic combat, right?"

"Well, you see…a lot has happened in a very short amount of time and-", Romeo starts before stopping upon Lucy holding up a hand.

"Okay", she simply said as she began to rub her temples, "I see that there are a lot more things we need to work then I expected but nothing we can't overcome."

Meanwhile, in the train car ahead of where the summoning lessons were going on, Natsu was trying his best to keep himself from hurling due to the fact that Wendy wasn't in the right mental state to cast Troia seeing how she was looking out the window with tears in her eyes as Carla kept telling her over and over again that she wasn't at fault for what happened so he had no choice but to endure with only Happy to comfort him.

"Hey, you said that you believe what Bunny Girl and Shrimp told you about Spirit Boy, so why are you still sharpening your sword like that?", Gajeel asks Erza from across the aisle, "It scared the other folks in the car away."

"No reason, I just felt like making sure my swords are up to par", the Requip Mage answers while running the whetstone over her sword with a determined look in her eye, "But while we're on the subject, why were you so calm about the whole incident? I thought you and Natsu saw Wendy as a little sister figure. I was half-expecting at least you to try something against Romeo."

"I do see the brat as a little sister", Gajeel smiles, "But I also figure that Spirit Boy wasn't stupid enough to try something like that with her without knowing the consequences, so I figure he had nothing to do with it."

"Hmm, never peg you to be a smart one", Erza admits, "Perhaps Levy is rubbing off on you."

The dragon-slayer's smile quickly turns into a scowl as he merely scoffs at the S-class mage before turning his head away, grumbling all the while as Pantherlily gives him a small smile.

"So what is Oak Town like? We bypass it last time while on our way to attack Phantom Lord's headquarters", Gray asks Juvia as the two of them sat across from one another.

"Oak Town has a long and rich history as it has been the sites of many battles, some of them even decided the fate of Fiore as a country", Juvia began, "This is shown in a large number of battlements, castles, and turrets located throughout the town."

"And that castle at the top use to be one of your guild buildings?", asks the Ice-Make mage.

"It was a branch headquarters where Master Jose sent the weaker mages of the guild to do jobs inside of Oak Town", Juvia answers, "Now and then he would send one of the Elemental Four or Gajeel to take charge of it to show face to the citizens."

"Hated whenever he sent me", the two hear Gajeel grumbles from the down the aisle.

"So the mayor of Oak Town is our contact for this job and he'll fill us in on the details concerning the monsters", Erza tells the others, "I suggest we split into groups and-"

The master swordswoman was cut off as the train came to a sudden halt, lunging everyone forward. While every one of them was tough enough to write this off as nothing more than a minor inconvenience, this was the last straw for Natsu as he threw up the breakfast he had this morning all over his seat, almost splashing Happy in the process.

"Is everyone okay?", Erza asks upon recovering herself.

"We're fine", Wendy calls out as Carla gives a nod.

"Yeah, I'm okay", Gajeel says.

"I too am unharmed", Pantherlily adds.

"I'll be fine….as soon as Juvia lets go of me!", Gray shouts out while trying to pry the Water Mage off of him, the girl crushing his rib cage in a bearhug.

"But Gray-sama, Juvia wants to make sure that you're alright!"

Erza moves up the aisle to where Natsu and Happy were and became a little queasy upon seeing the mess the Fire Dragon-Slayer made but was relieved upon seeing that both of them were okay.

The rear door opens up and Levy, Lucy, and Romeo come through. The boy's eyes instantly land on Wendy who ducks back down in her chair in embarrassment while Carla throws a glare back at him.

"Are you three alright?", Erza asks.

"We're fine; how is everyone else?", Lucy asks.

"Everyone appears to be fine but I wonder why the train stop", Erza says right before the front door opens and the conductor pokes his head in.

"Is everyone alright in here? Any injuries to report?", he asks.

"Do you have a mop and bucket?", Gajeel asks while pointing a finger at Natsu and his puke.

The conductor takes one good look at the mess and shakes his head, "I suppose I could rustle one up. But other than him is everyone okay?"

"We're all fine but what made the train stop?", Lucy asks.

"Well, you see, we just got word that one of the smaller stations on our route has a locomotive that has broken down on it and it's going to take a while to get it moved off the track. Until then, all trains on this route are stopped until they get the issue resolved", the conductor explains, "Sorry folks, looks like it might be a while."

Erza shakes her head in annoyance, "Do you have a lacrima onboard? I need to call our contact in Oak Town and let them know about our situation."

"Follow me, ma'am. We got one in the front car.", the conductor ushers her toward him and she goes through the door behind him.

"Should we go back and continued the lessons since we have more time now?", Romeo asks Lucy but the Celestial Spirit Mage was too busy looking at the area where the train had stopped, taking in the forest clearing that was just beyond the walls of the locomotive.

"I think it's best we jump straight to combat lessons for now", she states after a moment, catching both Romeo and Levy by surprise.

"You're sure about that, Lucy? Romeo hasn't had any combat training with Kasai whatsoever", Levy says.

Lucy merely smiles, "I think it will be fine for now; besides I have the perfect sparring partner for him", she says right before seeing Natsu throw up in the aisle again, "Okay, scratch that sparring partner. Luckily, I have a backup one."

A few minutes later Lucy, Levy, and Romeo were all standing outside the train in the vast clearing that separated them from the forest. Large rocks were scattered throughout the area and a small pond laid off to the right along the center of the field.

Lucy gives a nod, "Now's a better time than any seeing how we're not going anywhere and we're far enough away from any towns to raise a concern. Plus, I want to test a theory."

Romeo shrugs, "Alright, if you say so", as he holds a hand out and focuses his magic. He feels a warmth run through his body that painfully reminded him of all the times he would call forth his fire magic before that faithful night when his whole life change. He hated this feeling with a passion that surpasses a thousand suns but if he wanted to stay in Fairy Tail he had no choice but to summon and use Kasai to aid him out on jobs.

Within moments a fiery magic circle appeared in front of the group, spewing a pillar of fire upward towards the heavens. When it ceases and disappear, Kasai was standing there with a smile.

**_"Did you miss me, Kit?"_ **

**_A/N: You're starting to see a mischievous side to Kasai that might not be all that nice._ **


	5. Chapter 5

**_Chapter 5_ **

**Fire Spirit vs The Golden Bull**

Summoner and summon stare at one another for a moment, each of them shrouded in silence after Kasai's initial question while Lucy and Levy merely look on.

 ** _"You have yet to answer my question, Kit",_** Kasai says, " ** _Did you miss me?"_**

Romeo lets out a scoff and shook his head.

 ** _"Hey, Kit, I knew you miss me!",_** they yip before bounding towards Romeo, leaving a trail of burnt grass in their wake.

"No Kasai! No!", Romeo screams as he turns to run but it was too late as the kitsune pounces on him from behind and takes him to the ground, sitting atop of him as the boy could only give a blank stare in response at Lucy and Levy.

"Kasai reminds me of a dog with the way he acts sometimes", Levy comments while Lucy nods in agreement.

Meanwhile, Gajeel, Gray, and Juvia were watching the speculate from the confines of the train.

"Hey Stripper", the dragon-slayer calls over, "Since you actually had a human teacher, how would you rate Bunny Girl so far?"

"Wait a minute, didn't Juvia have a teacher?", Gray questions, wondering why he was the only one getting asked.

"Juvia-chan's magic was self-taught", the Water Mage answers and Gray dwell on this for a moment to realize that he was the only one in the car, including Erza, who was taught magic by a non-dragon.

"Huh, that explains why I'm the only sane one. Anyway, it's too early to tell since they just started today. Though I am surprised that she's jumping straight into combat training so soon", Gray says, "To be honest I was a little skeptical when she told us that she was going to teach Romeo seeing how she has trouble with her own spirits sometimes."

Gajeel shrugs, "True, but at least it will be entertaining to watch", as he hears, " ** _Gate of the Golden Bull!",_** and a bright light emits from Lucy. Moments later, a giant Minotaur was next to her, begrudgingly kneeling to the fire spirit who was still sitting on top of his summoner.

"Kasai-sama, it's been a while", Taurus says in a dark tone, catching everyone off-guard but Lucy notices that he was smiling.

Kasai gets off of Romeo and moves closer to the Celestial Spirit until he was right in his face, " ** _Bullshit, how you been?_** **Unwell, I hope.",** he growls.

"Never better", Taurus says before standing up and turning around to his summoner, not even waiting to get permission from the kitsune to get up. "Mooooooooo! Lucy, you are smoking! Seven years have done nothing to your perfect body, especially your boobs!", he says with hearts in his eyes, not noticing the downtrodden look Levy was giving her own chest after that statement.

"Flat is justice", she mumbles to herself while Lucy just laughs nervously at the boldness of the Celestial Spirit.

"It's good to see you again too, Taurus, but I didn't summon you so you could admire my body", she says.

"Could we do that the next time you call on me?", Taurus pleaded.

"I'll think about it, but you're here to help Romeo have his first combat lesson with Kasai and get used to seeing him fight" Lucy declares.

Lucy observes Taurus' reaction, half expecting him to refuse such order or try to find a way out of it. Instead, she was greeted by the sight of him eagerly grabs Labrys off his back and points it at Kasai who was still standing in the same place. A sinister smile appears on his lips, revealing his long, razor-sharp teeth, and the fire spirit's eyes open and the Golden Bull found himself staring into the kitsune's fiery glowing eyes. Even Romeo was taken back by this and scoots away from him from his summon.

"I see, so Kasai opens his eyes whenever it is ready to fight, just like it did with Virgo. Perhaps it's used as an intimidation tactic ", Levy says next to Lucy, "That would match perfectly with your theory from last night."

Lucy nods, "Taurus has Virgo beat in stamina, offense and defense capabilities while she only wins out in speed so I think it's safe to say that Kasai is no pushover in combat if Taurus is taking this type of approach."

"Actually, the environment can be a major factor in the overall strength of an Elemental Spirit", a voice says from behind them and the girls turn around to see the Leo the Lion otherwise known as Loke standing on top of the train behind them.

"Loke?", said both Lucy and Levy, "What are you doing here?"

"Why enjoying the sight of two lovely ladies who I haven't seen in quite some time", Loke answers before flipping off of the train and landing directly in front of the two on one knee. He quickly takes Levy's hand while placing the other over his heart.

"Ah, dear sweet Levy", he began, "You know, I have yet to receive an answer from you regarding going out on a date with me."

Levy shakes her head in annoyance, "And you're never going to get one."

Loke gives a nod and then turns to Lucy, "Lucy, you haven't aged a day since we last met and your beauty is radiating as ever."

Lucy joins Levy in shaking her head, "Good to see you too, Loke", she says before looking behind him at where Kasai and Taurus have now moved out into the field, facing one another with slasher smiles on their faces while Romeo was in between the two groups watching the two spirits, "What were you saying about an Elemental Spirit's strength?"

The Lion Spirit eyes the Golden Bull and Fire Spirit for a moment before looking back at Lucy, "Much like the Celestial Spirits, an Elemental Spirits can grow stronger if their summoner grows stronger but also depending on the area around them, that also can give them a boost."

Levy puts a pen and notebook from out of nowhere and began taking notes, "Please, tell us more."

Loke throws his attention over to Romeo, looking the boy up and down, "Wow, he has really grown up. I would have never have thought that he would be the Elemental Spirit Summoner even if he was from the Konboruto line."

Lucy's eyes widen in surprise and she waves her hands around, "Wait, wait, wait. You knew that Romeo was from the Konboruto line even when you were in Fairy Tail?"

Loke raises an eyebrow at his summoner, "Of course, the Celestial Spirits and the Elemental Spirits all live within the Spirit World together and I used to visit them all the time between their reincarnations so I knew all about the Konborutos and their pact with the Emperor. I honestly just never thought that Macao's kid would be the one to get it seeing how he has distant cousins over in the east who could have gotten it."

"Reincarnation?", both Lucy and Levy question.

"Oh, Kasai hasn't told ya?" Loke ask.

"He hasn't been exactly forthcoming in information", Lucy answers.

Loke lets out a chuckle, "Sounds like him, he's not exactly the nicest when it comes to dealing with humans. That's a story for another time, but anyway, once again unlike the Celestial Spirits, Elemental Spirits only get one summoner every several centuries or so", he states before looking up at the sky, "If my math is correct, Romeo should be summoner number thirteen for the Elemental Spirits since the Emperor allow them to be used by humans."

" _Thirteen spirits, the pact was invoked on Romeo's thirteenth birthday, and he is the thirteenth summoner. A lot is revolving around that specific number for some reason",_ Lucy thought to herself.

"But back to your original question, Levy, Kasai and the others was magically linked to their summoner in terms of power and can only grow in might if they do though they do start out with a boost in the beginning", the Lion Spirit states, "With that even at Romeo's current level of magic and seeing how there isn't anything around that can give "The Trickster" a boost, Kasai and Taurus are almost on equal footing with Taurus having a slight advantage."

"This should be a good test for him then", Lucy tells Levy as she began walking out to the field, coming up behind Romeo while doing so, "You ready for this?" she says as she taps him on his shoulder.

Romeo breaks out of his thought and looks up at Lucy, "What exactly do I have to do?"

"Well, actually it's pretty simple", Lucy admits, "You just tell your spirit to attack a target and they basically do the rest with you every now and then commanding them to move to a different target if it poses a greater threat. This is more of a test to see Kasai's fighting capability."

"Ehhhh, I'm going to stop you right there", Loke said as he came up on Romeo's other side.

"Loke? When did you get here?", he asks.

"I've been here for a while now. You really need to pay more attention to your surroundings for it's going to play a major factor from here on out", Loke tells him.

Romeo cocks his head at the Celestial Spirit, "Say what now?"

Lucy follows suit with the head movement, "What he said."

Loke rubs his eyes, "Didn't think I was going to be getting Spirits 101 lessons today, but Elemental Spirit's combat is different than Celestial Spirit's combat."

Levy pops up next to Leo, startling him, "How so?"

"Geez, did you learn stealth magic when I wasn't looking?", Loke asks before straightening himself out, "Anyway, the spirits of the elements rely on their summoners in combat far more than the Celestial Spirits do. Let me show you an example. Lucy, Romeo, tell Kasai and Taurus to begin their match, they look like their getting a little antsy out there, anyway."

Both summoners look at one another for a moment before turning to their respective spirits who were still having a staring contest with each other.

Lucy was the first one to give the order, "Taurus, go after Kasai!"

"You got it, Lucy! I have been waiting for this rematch, Kasai-sama!", the Golden Bull bellows as he rushing Kasai, raising his ax high above his head before bringing it down with a thunderous crash on top of the kitsune. Kasai merely smirks at his attacker before evading Labrys with a swift backflip, putting him a couple of yards away from the crater creating by Taurus who continues his assault with another bullrush attack, this time jumping high into the air and coming down with his axe on top of Kasai once more.

This time the fire spirit leans to the side, letting the axe narrowly miss him his shoulder and crash into the ground right before he launches with a claw swipe at Taurus's expose face with his right paw. The Minotaur moves his face back just in time to avoid taking the full brunt of the swipe but the tips of Kasai's claws still made connect with his face, leaving four bloody claw trails across his left cheek.

Taurus leaps backward and away from a snickering Kasai who greedily lick the blood off the ends of his claws.

" ** _Hmmm, I bet you go good with some seasoning, maybe sprinkle with some pepper and herbs",_** Kasai mocks Taurus who merely smirks back in response.

"I'm going to make you into a pelt which I'm going to show off at the Spirit Ball and then wear you until your next reincarnation", he declares with a puff of smoke out of his nose.

Lucy finds herself taken aback by the statement from the usual pervert spirit. She looks over at Loki who was watching the match with an intense glaze, "Is there some sort of history between those two?"

"Taurus and Kasai have been rivals long before Fiore was even a country. While they have been ordered by both the Celestial Spirit King and Elemental Spirit Emperor to be more civil with each other, give them a chance to fight and they'll hold nothing back", Loke explains, "At one point, their fighting scratched the Grand Spirit God's throne and they were almost banished from existence."

"Interesting", Levy states as she wrote everything the Leo was saying down just as a roar erupted from Taurus who once more leaped straight up into the air, spinning his axe while doing so.

" ** _Rampage!"_**

And with that he brought the axe back to the ground with such force that a shockwave was created, traveling toward Kasai and shooting rocks everywhere with even a couple of them heading toward Lucy and the others, but luckily Loke intercepted all of them with his fists, reducing them to dust. Anyway, the shockwave hit Kasai dead-on, sending the kitsune flying back across the field and into one of the large rock formation, shattering it upon impact as he blasts through it and straight into the forest beyond.

Before anyone could comment on what just happen, Kasai appears back on top of the rock, the fire on his tail now revving up as his eyes took on a more intense glow.

Meanwhile back on the train, the rest of the Fairy Tail crew excluding, Natsu, Happy, and Erza, were watching the scene unfold when the Requip Mage stomps back into the cabinet, an aura of murderous intent oozing off of her. Gray moves away from her on sheer instinct, backing up into Juvia who was squealing with joy.

"What's the manner with you?", Gajeel asks, tearing his eyes away from Levy and Loke, a little disgruntled about the Solid Script Mage being so close to the Lion Spirit.

"We're catching a train back to Magnolia when we hit the next station", she growls, visibly shaking with rage.

"What? Why?", Carla asks.

"I just got off the line with the mayor of Oak Town and it seems are services are no longer require. Another guild has taken our job.", Erza explains.

"Who the hell did that?", Gajeel says.

"Apparently a guild called Sabertooth", Erza explains, "I will be informing Master Makarov of this and he will no doubt file a formal complaint with the Magic Council regarding this manner but for now we are heading home.", she says before she turns her attention outside.

"What's going on here?", she asks.

"Lucy is trying to get some combating training in for Romeo while the train isn't going anywhere", Pantherlily explains.

Erza nods once more, "Lucy is taking any opportunity she can get to train her young pupil, a wise move. Truly a sign of a well-prepared teacher."

"You know Levy is helping out as well, right?", Gajeel grumbles.

Taurus lands a solid punch down on top of Kasai's head, sending him straight to the ground with a crash. Kasai quickly struggles to get to his feet but wasn't even halfway up before Taurus brought the flat of his ax down on top of him, once more sending him to the floor.

"I'm not going too hard on you, am I?", Taurus taunts as he hefts his axe on his shoulder, "It seems you've gotten a little rusty since the last time we fought out here in the Human World. It must be hard to not be able to use your magic as freely as I can."

A feral growl was all the Minotaur got in response as he jumps back to avoid a storm of claws aim at his head as Kasai retaliates with fury, his eyes glowing ever brighter while the flames on his tail seem to burn hotter.

Kasai launches himself at Taurus, ducking an axe swipe to his head and clamping his on the bull expose lower left leg, drawing blood as his teeth sank into flesh. The Celestial Spirit's howls of pain echo throughout the forest but he gritted through the torment and brought Labrys down on top of Kasai's back only for the fire spirit to let go of his leg and side jump the axe, and causing it to strike the ground with a thundering crash, but Taurus found himself to unable to get it out before Kasai renew his assault, turning around and expelling the flames from his tail directly into Taurus' face, temporarily blinding him and forcing him to let go of the axe in an effort to shield himself with his arms, thus leaving him even more vulnerable.

The kitsune then pouch on the Minotaur, digging the claws on his hind legs into the Celestial Spirit's thighs while impaling Taurus' board chest with his front ones. The frosting on top was Kasai once more using the razor-sharp teeth in his mouth to bite down hard on Taurus's right shoulder, pools of blood instantly spraying out as the Minotaur once more howls in anguish as a sea of red blankets his body.

But the Elemental Spirit wasn't done as he raises the intensely of his flames so now Taurus was being stabbed, bitten, and cook at the same time as his skin started to become burnt.

" ** _You can't fool "The Trickster", you masochistic bastard! You're enjoying all of this!",_** Kasai cries out and he applies more pressure to his bite. Taurus grits his teeth and using both of his arms that Kasai failed to restrain, he wraps his hands around the inside of the fire spirit's jaws and uses his superior strength to pry them open off of his shoulder. Using one hand to keep Kasai from biting him again he used the other to latch onto the back of the kitsune's neck and hurl him away, despite the pain caused by Kasai's claws suddenly being violently pulled out of him.

Kasai lands gracefully a dozen yards away while Taurus slumps to his knees, grabbing his axe and using it keep him from collapsing to the ground as a pool of blood gathered around him.

"This may be getting out of hand", Lucy says as she watches Taurus struggle to get back on his feet.

"It usually does between these two but there's nothing to worry about", Loke assures her, "In fact, Taurus would actually be mad at you if you were to stop him now."

"Seriously?", Lucy said, surprised to hear that the perverted Minotaur would actually be upset with her if she intervenes.

"Their rivalry runs that deep", Loke says, "They're like Natsu and Gray in a way, only their grudge has been going on a thousand times longer."

"I guess that makes sense", Lucy says, "Any idea what caused it?"

"It's a personal matter between them and I have no business talking about it. I hope you understand, Lucy", Loke answers.

"Argh, you're no help", she huffs, "But still, it looks like someone is going to really get hurt here soon."

"Don't worry about it. Remember, when a Celestial or also an Elemental Spirit reaches a certain threshold of damage they're instantly sent back to the Spirit World", Loke states.

A baffle expression falls on Romeo's face as he turns to look at Loke, "Really?"

"It's rare but yeah, Celestial Spirits automatically go back to the Spirit World if they get severe injure, and they recover quickly while there. Though it usually means they can't be re-summon for at least a week. I figure the same applies to Elemental Spirits as well", Lucy adds, "It's a ex…Levy, I appreciate the enthusiasm but you don't have to write down every little thing we say."

The petite mage looks up for a moment from her notebook, "You're sure? I feel this will become important later on."

Back to the duel between Kasai and Taurus, the Minotaur was paying for his underestimation of the fire spirit. The last time the two of them have fought out in the Human World was so long ago that a majority of Earthland's current nations weren't even around. The two of them are forbidden by the Celestial Spirit King and Elemental Spirit Emperor from fighting in the Spirit World unless under extreme circumstances ever since their incident with the Spirit Throne, but out here there are no laws to bind them. But because Kasai hasn't seen combat in a while, Taurus thought he was a little rusty but that doesn't seem to be the case.

As the bull struggles to his feet, he readies himself for another round with his rival who was now pacing back and forth, stalking Taurus with predatory eyes, his back arch up while his claws dug into the ground underneath him.

" ** _Kit! Give me a spell and be quick about it!",_** Kasai barks at Romeo, his eyes still on Taurus, " ** _I want to end this now while he is weaken!"_**

"Give him a what?", Lucy says as she looks to Loke for answers but caught the Lion Spirit shaking his head.

"This is exactly why you were always the last one to be summoned, Kasai. You don't want to interact with your mage at all outside of combat, even for training", she hears him growl before he looks down at Romeo, "Listen, you need to command Kasai to use a spell in order for him to cast it in combat."

The sound of Levy's furiously scribbling down notes was the only thing that could be heard between the four as Romeo and Lucy merely look at each other then back at Loke.

"Come again?", was Lucy's response.

"As I said before, Elemental Spirits are way less independent than Celestial Spirits when it comes to combat. Where a Celestial can fully operate on its own, an Elemental needs their summoner to give them a command to cast a spell or ability", Loke explains, "Other than that, an Elemental can only attack with basic attacks like slashing with their claws, biting with their teeth, or in special cases like Kasai, using the flames from his tail but that's only at extremely close distances.

"Fascinating", Levy comments as she jots down more notes while Kasai catches The Golden Bull off-balance and tackles him to the ground. Taurus was using the shaft of Labrys to keep Kasai's jaws from clamping down on him once more as the kitsune was biting into it and the Celestial Spirit had to work to make sure his axe was still able to keep the fire spirit's claws at bay as well.

Romeo keeps staring up at Loke for a moment before speaking, "O-Okay, what spell do I cast?"

The leader of the Celestial Spirits taps his head in thought, "I believe **_Fireball_** is one of his spells. At least one of the ones I remember seeing him use."

"So he just….?", Lucy twirls her hand.

"Just say "Kasai, cast **_Fireball_** " and he'll do the rest", Loke tells Romeo.

"Just like that?", the former fire mage asks.

"Just like that", Leo repeats

"And say it with some coincidence in your voice", Lucy instructs, "Remember to show him that you're in charge."

Romeo looks at both Lucy and Loke before turning his attention back to the battle between Kasai and Taurus, "Okay, here goes nothing. Kasai, cast **_Fireball!_** ", Romeo commands and the next thing a magic circle opens up underneath him and he instantly started to feel the magic within him leaving his body.

Across the field, Taurus had managed to push Kasai off of him and the two prepare to face off once more when a voice rang out the field.

"Kasai, cast **_Fireball!"_**

Taurus briefly turns to look at where Lucy and the others were at, spotting Romeo holding out a hand toward Kasai, as if he was calling forth his magic as a magic circle opens up underneath him.

Kasai, on the other hand, merely smiles as a magic circle of fiery origins appears underneath him.

" ** _Took you long enough, Kit!",_** he says as he opens his mouth. Soon enough flames began to rise up out of the magic circle and gather in his mouth into a sphere that kept getting larger and larger until it was nearly half the size of Taurus.

" ** _Try this on for size, Bullshit! Fireball!",_** Kasai shouts as he releases the spell and it streaks toward The Golden Bull for only had time to bring Labrys up in front him in order to provide some level of protection, but it was nearly all for naught as a moderate explosion of fire engulfs him, pushing him back a few inches before forcing him to stagger backward and fall back down to his knees.

Kasai lets out a roar of laughter, " ** _That spell was way weaker than I thought it would be but it did the job! Time to finish this!",_** and he starts to stalk toward the down Minotaur but didn't get far before another magic circle, this one of the summoning style, open up underneath him. The kitsune snaps his head to where Romeo was and saw that the boy was on the ground unconscious, being tended to by Lucy, Levy, and "The Lion" who he just realizes had shown up. With his super hearing he could hear the Lion Spirit uttering the words, "Damn it, I knew that was something else I forgot to tell him!"

But the fire spirit paid no mind to these words as he had a few of his own to shout out " ** _Really?! Already?!",_** right before he vanished in a pillar of erupting fire.

**A/N: You can start to see where the pokemon theme is starting to appear.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimers: I do not own Fairy Tail. If I did Romeo would be having to choose between Wendy and Chelia as the two drown him in affection.**

**A/N: Okay, Chapter 6. Enjoy everyone.**

**I would like to thank _Tenryu no Hoko_ for basically being a beta for this chapter as they are someone I exchange ideas with and get good feedback from. Check out their stories if you have the chance.**

**Please leave a Review, Fav, or Follow if you want and check out my other stories like, _The Last Fire Mage, A Child of Fire and Brimstone, and Wild Master._**

**Chapter 6**

**Fire's True Nature**

It was the rattling of the train cart that woke Romeo up, his eyes fluttering open to stare straight up at the roof of the car. He grabs the back of the seat he was laying on and pulls himself upright. As he looks around he quickly notices that he was alone in the compartment.

"Where is everyone?", he asks before turning his attention back to the matter at hand and why he passed out in the first place. The last thing he remembers was casting a spell for Kasai but not long afterward he felt a drain of energy and then his world went dark.

"What happened?", he asks himself but then he notices something through the window across the aisle from him. Upon closer examination, he realizes that he was staring at Mt. Hakobe in the distance and it was getting closer.

"Why are we heading back to Magnolia?", Romeo asks himself before the sound of the compartment door opening draws his attention down the aisle where he spots Wendy coming in. She looks up and instantly freezes upon locking eyes with Romeo and the boy mirrors her actions. Only the whistle of the train and wheels on the tracks could be heard in the compartment as the two young mages just look at one another.

A blush began to emit from Wendy's face as she slowly puts her hand down toward the hem of her dress, almost as if she was expecting it to fly up without warning. Without saying a word, she turns around and heads back through the door, closing it behind her.

Romeo lets out a sigh, "Great, now she won't even talk to me. Thanks a lot, Kasai."

" ** _You call for me, Kit?",_** Romeo hears as a summoning circle appears behind him and soon the towering kitsune was looking down at the boy from a sitting position. Anger flashed across the boy's face as he turns around and looks up at the smiling spirit, " ** _Oh, are you mad? I don't know why seeing how if anyone should be displeased, it should be me."_**

"Oh really?", Romeo growls though in the back of his mind a thought plagues him, " _How long was I out for if he's able to summon himself?"_

" ** _Yes, if I would have known that a simple magic spell like Fireball would have drained you completely of your magic, I would have just keep using my teeth and claws to defeat Taurus",_** Kasai brags, " ** _My expectations of you were extremely low, to begin with, but somehow you manage to disappointment me."_**

Burning with rage, Romeo jumps up and slaps Kasai across the face, the smack resounding throughout the cart and catching the "Trickster" off guard who afterward could only stare down at the boy in mild surprise, as his face didn't move at all from the impact.

"You listen here!", Romeo started, "I about had it with you and your attitude problem! I'll take those insults from Virgo but not...from...you?", as he finds the words dying in his throat as the kitsune began to rear himself up to his full height, making himself even more daunting in his appearance.

" ** _Well, well, well",_** the fiery entity said in a cold voice as he opens his hellish eyes and glare at his summoner, " ** _Aren't we ballsy all of a sudden?"_**

Even without the glowing eyes, Romeo could feel the rapid shift in Kasai's attitude. He was no longer addressing the playful, sometimes slightly harmful, trickster. No, now he was directly in front of a malevolent spirit who he felt was barely being restrained from unleashing his wrath upon the poor boy.

" ** _I see no reason to keep up the act anymore so I won't",_** Kasai tells his summoner in a voice that raises the hairs on the back of the former fire mage's neck.

Romeo could feel his blood freeze in his veins even as he stares in Kasai's burning eyes and he felt his breath get caught up in his throat as Kasai leans down ever closer to him until their faces were nearly touching and his heart was threatening to burst out of his chest due to how rapidly it was beating.

 _"I'm supposed to show him that I'm in charge",_ Romeo thought in the deepest confines of his mind, " _Maybe slapping him wasn't the best way to do that."_

" ** _You're a lucky boy, did you know that? For I can count on all of my front claws the number of beings in both the Human and Spirit World who can slap me and get away with it completely and there would still be some leftover"_** Kasai says as he bares his fangs, " ** _And you're the only one in the Human World who can do so."_**

Romeo could see the razor edge of Kasai's teeth as he spoke and he briefly looks down toward the floor to see the spirit's claw extending. He was starting to regret his impulsive action as he could feel the heat in the room rising and deep down he knew he was only a split second away from being nothing more than a bloody mess splatter around the room.

Kasai brings his head over and puts his mouth next to Romeo's ear.

" ** _Never strike me again.",_** he warns the boy, **This will be the only warning you'll get from me, Kit**. **_I may not be able to harm you but that law doesn't apply to your friends and family, especially your father."_**

Romeo stops breathing all together upon the mentioning of his dad.

" ** _I wonder if he would even see it coming. Do you think you could send me away in time before my claws dug into his chest? Before my jaws clamp around his throat? You Short Lives are such fragile creatures that it would be over in a flash and all you'll have left of him are memories and perhaps a corpse if I'm feeling generous. ,_** Kasai whispers into Romeo's ear, the boy feeling the sheer heat from his voice, " ** _Heh, I wonder if you would even miss him, you haven't exactly been on the best of terms since I arrived."_**

The young summoner was frozen solid, his eyes widen in fear even as Loke came through the door into the compartment.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?", he says as he stares directly into Kasai still open eyes.

" ** _Ah, Mane Boy",_** Kasai says with a dark smile, " ** _I was wondering if you were still here. Didn't see you in the Spirit World."_**

"Aren't you forgetting something, Kasai?", Loke said as he walks toward them, "As the leader of the Zodiac Celestial Spirits, you kneel in my presence."

Kasai gives a huff, flames billowing out of his nose as he begrudgingly took a knee, **"** ** _How could I forget?"_**

Loke puts his hand on Romeo and gently moves him behind him, putting himself between the boy and Elemental Spirit, "Romeo, I told Lucy and Levy to wait for you in the other cart while I have a chat with Kasai. You should go see them if you're able", he explains though his eyes never leave Kasai.

Romeo picks up at the rising tension between Loke and Kasai and decides it was best that he left the immediate area. Giving a brief nod, he nearly runs down the aisle through the door and slams it behind him.

" ** _May I arise, oh great, Mane Boy?",_** Kasai laughs from his position on the floor.

"That's Leo-sama to you", Loke tells him and Kasai gets up regardless.

" ** _Oh, I heard a rumor that you go by a different name nowadays. Loke, is it?"_** Kasai grins.

"Only my friends can call me that", Loke says bluntly, "And from here on out, you're going mind yourself around them, got it?"

" ** _Are you threatening me, Leo-sama?",_** Kasai asks as he takes a step forward.

"I don't make threats, I make promises, especially in this type of situation", Loke tells him, "I will not tolerate another "Yanga Village" and neither will the other spirits."

Dark laughter erupts from Kasai's mouth, encompassing the entire train cart, " ** _Is that right? So everyone still mad about that, are they?"_**

It was now Loke's turn to take a step forward, "Listen and listen well, Kasai. From here on out, you're going to be a bit more helpful in the training lessons Romeo is receiving"

" ** _You don't have the authority to order such a thing",_** Kasai points out.

"True, but I can tell Romeo that he does", Loke says, "And what's more humiliating for "The Trickster", training alongside his summoner under his own free will or being forced to?"

" ** _You bastard! You glowing, piece of shit bastard!",_** Kasai snarls as he lunges at Loke and comes within inches of contact before stopping, his fangs only a hair's breadth away from The Lion Spirit's face.

" ** _How dare you even suggest such a thing? I am one of the thirteen Elemental Spirits and used to be one of the guardians of nature! I am a being of such immeasurable might that I was wiping entire ancient civilizations single-handily from the tomes of history before you were even a thought! Humans, Elves, dwarves, you name it, all of them used to quake at the mere mention of my name for fear of my wrath! Even today in some of the farthest reaches of the world, I am worship as a god! I should rip you to shreds right here and now for such insolence!"_**

Loke smiles and shrugs, "You "used" to be a being of immeasurable might. Though to be fair, even nowadays I would give you a fifty-fifty chance that you would come out on top in a confrontation between the two of us, but you and I both know that you won't try it here and now. You're already on thin ice as it is with the throne room incident and Yanga Village. One more strike and you're done."

Kasai's began lashing out at the floor of the cart, his claws easily ripping up the wooden planks as the kitsune unleash his aggravation at Loke on whatever was closest to him. He rips the seats on either side of Loke to shreds and even bit down on the tables, shattering them upon. All the while Loke merely watches, putting his hands in his pockets while whistling a tune. Finally, afterward a moment, the fire spirit calms down enough to speak a coherent sentence.

" ** _Very well then, I will cooperate with the Kit if only to get everyone off my back",_** he states, his eyes now resembling fireballs in his anger, **_"Does this satisfy you?"_**

Loke gives a nod, "It will have to do. One is not required to actually like their summoner only that they listen to them." He then turns around and walks toward the door, "Also, do try to behave yourself. The boy is already having enough trouble as it is and he doesn't need you giving him anymore."

A threatening growl was the only response Loke receives as he left the car.

**_In the train compartment_ **

"Romeo, do me a favor and send Kasai back to the Spirit World, will ya?", Loke says to the boy who was sitting across the table from Lucy and Levy in the mid-section of the cart. Erza, Gray, Gajeel, Juvia, Pantherlily, Wendy, and Carla were sitting at the front while Happy was with Natsu who had now resumed his puking fest.

Romeo didn't have to be told twice as he focuses his magic and he soon felt Kasai's presence disappear though Loke caught sight of his arm still shaking from his tense encounter with Kasai.

 _"Okay, maybe I should have been a little faster in talking to Kasai once Wendy told us Romeo was awake",_ Loke thought as he slid next to Lucy, "Now that that's out of the way, what did I miss?"

"Levy just told me why we're heading back to Magnolia all of a sudden, and I have to say I'm not really that surprise", Romeo admits, "Sabertooth has been doing this for years now."

"You mean that the Magic Council hasn't step in and stop them from taking other guilds' jobs?", Lucy questions.

Romeo shakes his head, "Not really, I don't think they care as long as the jobs get done and it doesn't turn violent between the guilds."

"It still doesn't make it right", Erza says as she comes up to the table, "Once a job request is taken by a guild, it is their sacred duty complete it unless extenuating circumstances prevent them from doing so. For another guild to blatantly just come and take it fills me with such righteous anger!", she shouts as she draws her sword, causing everyone to back away from her.

"Whoa! Let's calm down, Erza!", Lucy pleads, warily of how close she was to the blade, "I'm sure Master Makarov will deal with this problem!"

Erza sheathes her blade and crosses her arms, nodding while doing so, "You're right. If anyone can rectify the situation, he can", she says before looking at Romeo, "Though it sounds like other guilds have just been letting it happen. Why is that, Romeo?"

Romeo shrugs, "Maybe most of the other guilds are afraid of picking a fight with Sabertooth. Only guilds like Blue Pegasus and Lamia Scale haven't gotten their jobs taken by Sabertooth."

Levy places a hand on her chin, "Hmm, it seems that they're only taking jobs from the weaker guilds and not going after the stronger ones."

"Seems like it", Romeo says.

"Anyway", Lucy says, getting the boy's attention, "We need to discuss a change in your training."

"Huh?"

"It seems that there are some issues we didn't factor in seeing how we didn't know about them", Lucy says while throwing a look at Loke who gives a nervous shrug in return, "But right now we need to focus on increasing your magic level."

"Why's that?", Romeo wonders.

"Because it seems that to use magical spells, your summons draws upon your magic not their own", Levy says.

"What?", Romeo questions.

"Yeah, you see when the Elemental Spirit Emperor took his guardians and made them summons, he needed to restrict their magic or else they simply would have been too powerful for a human to wield", Loke began, "So he made it that they couldn't use their magic while they were in the Human World and instead have to use their summoner's magic. On the bright side, he allowed it that if you summon an Elemental Spirit in a natural environment, say like the forest we were just at, then the spirits draw upon the natural energy flowing through it to maintain itself, not the summoner's magic."

" _That explains a lot",_ Romeo thought, "But how exactly are we going to raise my magic level?"

"Capricorn can help you with that", Loke states, "He's the smartest of the Celestial Spirits and knows a thing or two about raising someone's magic power level."

"Well that settles it", Lucy claps her hands, "Tomorrow morning we will revamp your training and focus on raising your magic level a little, then we'll move back to combat lessons."

Romeo happily nods at Lucy's statement, though he couldn't get Kasai's last words to him out of his head regarding his father. As he ponders wherever or not the fire spirit would follow through with his threat, he catches Wendy watching him. The two once more lock eyes for a moment before turning away, both of them now looking out their respective window at the passing scenery.

**_Conbolt's Residence_ **

It was the middle of the night when Romeo awoke, his thirst in desperate need of quenching as his parch throat was the reason he was now making his way into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes as he got off the last step on the stairs. Fighting his drowsiness he made his way to the cupboard where he retrieves a cup and then he processed to the sink. As he turns the faucet on and allows the cup to fill up, his mind went over the events that occur today.

The moment they step back into the guild hall, Erza went straight to Master Makarov to inform him of what happen and it was safe to say that he wasn't happy. First thing in the morning, he, along with Wakaba and his father would be heading to Hargeon Town to file an official complaint to the Magic Council through the Rune Knights' garrison that was in the port town.

"Today was a long day and that's not even counting the crap with Kasai", Romeo told himself as turn off the faucet and started drinking.

…

…

**CRASH!**

The glass shatters on the kitchen floor as Romeo froze in place, a terrified expression etched into his face. He snaps his neck to the kitchen clock, its hands illuminated by their own magical light.

"Five-ten", Romeo curses, "I'm over two hours late in catching Kasai and sending him back to the Spirit World!"

Without a moment's hesitation, Romeo races up the stairs and upon reaching the top he stops in his tracks. In his awaken state and with his eyes more use to the darkness he spots something that he didn't notice before when he came out of his room.

Claw marks in the floors and on the walls leading down the hallway, stopping just short of his father's room. Kasai's words from the train fill his mind and a tidal wave of dread washes over him.

"No", Romeo whispers as he sprints down the hall and flings open the door. Instantly, he scans the room, corner to corner, ceiling to floor but spots nothing, nothing but his father laying down in his bed snoring loudly as the moonlight drifted in through his window.

Romeo closes his eyes and lets out a sigh of relief, "He's okay, thank the gods. But where is Kasai?"

" ** _I've been standing right in front of you the entire time, Kit",_** a voice from the darkness says and Romeo's eyes snap open to see Kasai towering over on the other side of his dad's bed, his glowing eyes the only indication that he was there as the rest of him was shrouded in shadows, his tail not even burning with flames. Romeo finds himself glued to the floor as the kitsune eyes him for a moment before turning his gaze downward to the elder Conbolt's sleeping form.

" ** _I_** ** _t's rude to keep someone waiting, you know? I've been sitting here for two hours now watching your father sleep",_** Kasai informs Romeo in a low voice, **_"Both of you have a bad habit of leaving your doors open at night, not that it would impede me if you didn't."_**

"W-What are you doing here?", Romeo finally gathers up the courage to speak.

" ** _Me? Oh, I'm just "standing watch" if you will, over your dear old dad. Wouldn't want anything to happen to him now, now would you?",_** Kasai answers as he smiles and his teeth shine like knives in the moonlight, " ** _Especially when he is soooo vulnerable in his current state",_** as he brings a claw down on top Macao's stomach, the very tip of it barely touching his skin and he lightly trails it up to his chin while the man still slept, **_"So helpless, so fragile, so delicate you Short Lives are."_**

Romeo focuses his magic and a summoning circle opens up underneath Kasai, lighting up the room in its entirety. Kasai slowly withdraws his claw and turns to looks at a dresser on the other side of the room. On top of it laid a picture frame and within its contents was a photograph of a much younger Romeo being held up by Natsu as the two of them smile brightly. A smile of his own flash across Kasai's face as he eyes the dragon-slayer right before he felt himself being pulled back into the Spirit World.

" ** _Make sure you're awake in the future, Kit. Who knows what terrible things may befall your father if you aren't?"_**

Macao tosses in his sleep and awakens to find his son leaning on his door, breathing heavily.

"Hey", he yawns, "What are you doing up at this time?"

**_ Fairy Tail's Building _ **

A full week had gone by since the fight between Kasai and Taurus and Romeo found himself outside the guild hall in the clearing with Lucy, Levy, Loke, Kasai, and the newest addition to his training regiment, Capricorn and he had to admit it felt odd having the Celestial Spirit as his teacher. He has already had his dad and Totomaru as his teachers but something about Capricorn just felt different, mainly being the fact that the Goat Spirit didn't suffer from the same limitations as humans did.

"Romeo-sama, you need to concentrate more. Shrink and expand the magic within you, just like we have been doing", the goat said as he sat cross-legged next to the boy who was mirroring his position, "Magic is a living entity that cannot be fully controlled but can be tame to a degree. You must be willing to let it have just as much control over you as you want over it."

"I'm trying", Romeo grunts already irritated that he had been holding the position for two hours already.

" ** _This is boring",_** Kasai yawns from his position near the forest, " ** _Surely there are faster ways than this for me to be able to cast more spells, Goat Cheese."_**

"With all due respect, Kasai-sama, I ask that you have patience and let me continue my lessons with Romeo-sama in peace", Capricorn politely tells the fire spirit who clicks his tongue in response, earning himself a look from Loke. The kitsune returns the look before standing up and walking over to the other side of the clearing, where Natsu and Gray look like they were having another one of their arguments. It was mostly a normal day with no jobs on the board. Carla and Pantherlily took this time to go visit the Exceed Village though Happy opted to stay behind.

"How do you think Romeo is progressing?", Levy asks Lucy who was watching the training scene from a table that was set up outside for them.

"Hard to say", Lucy admits, "I don't have any equipment to gauge him and his magic level wasn't very high too begin with for me to sense it."

"He's actually doing better than I though he would", Loke says across from Lucy and both her and Levy turn their attention to him.

"He is? How can you tell?", Levy asks.

"Celestial Spirits have a better sense of magical presence than humans", Loki answers, "Since Romeo has started training with Capricorn I sense that his magic has just about double in size."

Two chairs go flying back as both Lucy and Levy stood up abruptly.

"Seriously?", Levy says.

"Double?", Lucy follows up, "But it has only been a week!"

"Whoa now, I'm not saying the boy is overflowing with magic now, he just increased it, that's all. He has a large amount now for someone his age but he is still small compared to say, someone like Max or even Wendy", Loke tells them, "Speaking of which, is she still not talking to him?"

Lucy shakes her head, "Nope, my guess she is still embarrassed by what happened."

"Which is sad seeing how she volunteer to keep an eye on him while he was pass out on the train", Levy adds, "Perhaps when she gets back from her business in town with Master Makarov, Macao, Wakaba, and Mira we can have a talk with her."

"I'm sure they'll make up eventually, you just need to give them time", Loke says with a prideful shrug, "I mean, not everyone can be as smooth as me."

Levy and Lucy roll their eyes at Loke's boasting and tune back into Romeo and Capricorn.

**KABOOM!**

An explosion from across the field rocks the surrounding area and everyone's attention is suddenly drawn to the sight of Natsu who had flames billowing off of him for a moment before they went away. The Fire Dragon-Slayer was facing Kasai, who was sporting his trademark grin while laying down not far from the mage.

"What did you say about Igneel?", the dragon-slayer growls as Gray backs away from him.

" ** _I said, Pinky, that I can't believe that pathetic excuse for a dragon decided to waste all of the training I gave him on the likes of you_** ", Kasai says, " ** _In case he didn't tell you, I was the one that taught him how to sharpen and perfect his fire. In some way, I am your teacher's teacher though I see all of my lessons have been for naught._** "

Natsu takes a menacingly step toward Kasai, "Take back what you said about Igneel!"

" ** _Or what_**?", Kasai continues to smile as he rears himself up and was now standing on all fours, looking directly at Natsu.

"Hey, that's enough, Kasai!", Loke's voice calls out as he along with everyone else in the guild rush over to the area.

" ** _What? All I did was speak the truth. I did train Igneel a long time ago when he was younger_** **_and I just feel that he wasted my lessons on his choice of a student, one who I barely consider human with his features",_** the kitsune said as he sniffs the air.

"Geez, I know Natsu gets a little wild sometimes and his house ain't the cleanest, but that's a little harsh", Gray mutters off to the side.

"He was my father!", Natsu roars as Lucy runs up next to him in an effort to calm him down but he was ignored by the Elemental Spirit.

"But was all that other stuff necessary?", Loke asks.

Kasai shrugs, " ** _It's just a matter of opinion, surely I'm allowed to have that_**."

"We need to stop this before things get out of hand", Loke says before turning his attention down to Romeo who was beside him, "Your choice on what to do. Either send him back or tell him to stand down. Remember, you're in charge here."

Romeo locks eyes with Kasai for a moment, weighing his options. If he sent him back now he would no doubt come back while Romeo was still training and he wasn't sure that Natsu's anger would have passed by then, and as much as he wanted to see the fire spirit get put in his place, he wouldn't be a good summoner if he just watch his spirit get throttle. But it seems like it would happen regardless if Kasai stayed.

Before Romeo could make a decision though, Kasai turns around and began walking away from the enrage dragon-slayer who was now being held back by Lucy who has placed herself in front of him, putting a hand on his chest in an effort to calm him.

" ** _I said what I wanted to say and see no more reason to be around such a lowly creature",_** he says as he turns his head to face Romeo, " ** _You may send me back to the Spirit World if you wish. Pinky here reeks of Igneel's overwhelming stench of failure and it quite displeases me. It's no small wonder that I have not seen him around since I awoke, no doubt he doesn't want to be reminded of his shortcomings."_**

Lucy watches in horror as Natsu's eyes became dilated and she could begin to feel the heat rise off of him. A steady growl combine with heavy breathing was escaping from his throat and she could feel the muscles in his chest tense up. All of these signs indicated that he was about to pounce. That was something that Lucy didn't need right now, especially seeing how Kasai was going to be a regular aspect of Fairy Tail from here on out.

"You don't have to fight him, Natsu", she begs, "He's just trying to bait you into fighting him. I don't know why but he is. Let's just calm down and go back inside. You can go fight Gray or even challenge Erza."

For a moment it seems that Lucy's words reach the dragon-slayer as he relaxes in his posture and his eyes went back to normal.

 _ **"I'm impressed** **, C-Spirit. You manage to tame Pinky without using your body which I presume you usually do to get your way",**_ Kasai says.

Lucy didn't have time to react before Natsu moves past her and toward Kasai, leaping toward him with his arm pulled back, a clenched fist at the end of it.

Kasai's grin never fades from his lips as he leaps over Natsu and the mage's fist collides with the ground where he was standing only moments before, creating a crater in the process.

As the kitsune lands in between Natsu and a bewildered Lucy, he lets out a chuckle.

" ** _Come Pinky,"_** Kasai slowly taunts as he sits down, " ** _S_** ** _how me exactly what Igneel taught you and don't worry, I'll be sure to point out all of your mistakes.",_** he laughs as he watches his plan come to fruition so easily.

"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"

**_A/N: As I stated before, the Elemental Spirits have been around for a long time. Also, Kasai didn't create Fire Dragon-Slayer magic, he merely helped teach Igneel how to use his fire more properly. The next chapter is Natsu vs Kasai and the aftermath of it. It should be a good one._ **

**_Basically, I want to show what would happen if you got a spirit who didn't want to be a summon in the first place and how why they can't hurt their summoner, everyone else is up for grabs._ **

**Please leave a Review, Fav, or Follow if you want and check out my other stories like _The Last Fire Mage, A Child of Fire and Brimstone, and Wild Master._**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimers: I do not own Fairy Tail.**

**A/N: So in self-quarantine at my house and you think I would be able to get some writing done for stories like Right Claw and such. Unfortunately, all I got was writer's block, so I shift focus to this story to help me break out of it. Let's see how it goes.**

**This story was semi-beta by _Tenryu no hoko_** **who has been a massive help in idea swapping and such. Check out their stories, "Times Comes Around" "Tales of the Romeoverse", and "Heart of the Flames" when you have the chance.**

**Also check out my other stories like, "The Wild Master", "A Child of Fire and Brimstone" and the Fiery Hurricane series.**

**Please leave a Review, Fav, or Follow, if you want.**

**Chapter 7**

**Wrath of the Trickster**

**Magnolia Hospital**

"So as you can see, this deal works out for both parties", Macao finishes explaining to the head doctor, "Wendy provides her healing magic to your facility at a part-time wage, while you get someone who can clear up all the backlog of patients you got and free up your personnel."

Dr. Hiaser Mcnuddet, the head of staff at Magnolia Medical Center, rubs his chin as he ponders the idea. With over fifty years of experience, he always wondered about the possibilities of magic being used alongside practical medical knowledge. Up until little over seven years ago, he thought healing magic was a lost art, at least that's what his old friend and drinking buddy, Makarov, used to tell him. But that all change once the girl in question joined up with Fairy Tail. But that idea came and went as quickly as the young lady did after that Tenrou fiasco.

But apparently the gods work in mysterious ways and somehow both Makarov and Wendy survive that incident.

"You know, Macao", Hiaser began, "When I personally bought you into this world all those years ago, I somehow had the distinct feeling that you would grow up to be the type of person who would do anything they could to make a profit."

Macao's face goes red from embarrassment, "Don't know what you're talking about, Mr. Mcnuddet. This is just so Wendy can have a little extra money on the side to help her get back on her feet."

"Along with giving Fairy Tail getting a good reputation among the townfolks with her helping out here", Hiaser quickly adds, "You don't have to lie to me, Macao. I do realize that you're really doing this to actually help the girl, it just happens to have an added bonus."

A moment of silence passes between the two men as Macao keeps eye contact with the doctor from across the desk between them.

"So can she work here then?"

Outside the office, Wakaba and Wendy sat at the end of the hallway, with the older mage grumbling to himself over having to put out his cigar before coming in and the younger one fretting over whether or not the hospital would accept the offer put forth by the guild. Due to the distance from the office and the fact that Dr. Mcnuddet actually has his room soundproof through magical runes, even her enhanced hearing couldn't pick up on the conversation.

She didn't know who came up with the idea for her to work here once she told the rest of the guild about how the lack of jobs was not helping her money issues. While most of the other girls who were on Tenrou were able to get by selling some of their old stuff, Wendy didn't really have much to call her own even back when she was with Cait Shelter. She was barely able to pay the first month's rent at Fairy Hills but if she didn't get some decent income soon, she wouldn't be able to make the next month's rent.

" _Master Makarov told me right before he and Mira left to talk to Twilight Ogre that it wasn't him nor her. Who was it then? Lucy? Levy? Perhaps Natsu, Gray, or Erza?",_ she thought as she sees the door open up and Macao come out. He looks around and spots the duo and makes his way over to them.

"So what the doc say?", Wakaba asks.

Macao looks down at Wendy who was practically shaking with anticipation and scratches the back of his head.

"Well, he said that Wendy is technically underage to be working at this type of job, even part-time", he starts.

The dragon-slayer's face and mood drop dramatically upon hearing this.

"But only mentally and emotionally. Physically, she is nineteen according to her magic guild profile sheet, so he sees a loophole that he can use should it ever become a problem", the Purple Flare mage finish.

"So what you're saying is….?", Wakaba asks.

"She can start next week after the doc gets some paperwork done and inform the rest of the doctors and nurses. She will be pay on an hourly basis depending on how many hours she puts in and she will pick up her pay from city hall at the end of each week-oof!", Macao answered before finding himself getting hug tightly by Wendy.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!", she squeals as she easily lifts him up and spins around.

"Wendy, you might want to let Macao go before he hurls all over the place", Wakaba suggests and the girl realizes what she was doing and puts the man down.

"Sorry about that", she apologizes while Macao leans on his knees in an effort to keep himself from throwing up.

"It's alright. Just need a moment here", he groans.

"While you're down there, you mind telling me who came up with this idea? Because I hardily doubt you did", Wakaba says, only to receive the middle finger from Macao in response.

"Actually, if you must know, it was Kasai who mention it."

Both Wakaba and Wendy raise an eyebrow at this.

"Kasai?", Wendy questions.

"Yeah", Macao nods as he finally comes back up, "He must have heard about your problem and casually suggested it the other day while Master Makarov and I were talking in the clearing outside the guild. Nearly gave me a heart attack when he appeared out of nowhere."

"Well, that's awfully nice of-", Wendy began before a loud noise draws everyone's attention outside and toward the forest.

"That came from the guildhall", Macao says as he broke into a run toward the exit, with Wakaba and Wendy following right behind him.

**Meanwhile at Fairy Tail**

Kasai lands gracefully on the other side of Natsu and briefly examines the crater left by his fist.

" _ **Wow, th**_ _ **at punch lacked focus and precision. It was basically the equivalent of you**_ _ **throwing a rock at a tree while blindfolded**_ _ **",**_ Kasai snickers from his position, " _ **I know I said that I would**_ _ **only**_ _ **criticize your fire magic techniques but that**_ _ **was so sloppily that I just couldn't help it and I can't even punch to begin with."**_

" _Fire Dragon's Iron Fist_ **!",** Natsu screams again as he lunges at the fox spirit, only this time Kasai simply bends his body underneath the follow-up punch and slither like a snake away until he was once more on the other side of the dragon-slayer.

" _ **Miss me again!",**_ Kasai yips, " _ **Must be hard facing**_ _ **an opponent**_ _ **w**_ _ **ho can easily predict your every move!"**_

Natsu lets out a growl before launching himself in the air until he was right over Kasai, flames gathering around his right foot.

" _Fire Dragon's Inferno Stomp!",_ as he drops downwards only for the kitsune to merely take a step back to completely evade it, unfazed by the slayer once more creating a crater right in front of him.

" _ **Okay Pinky, be honest, you're making these spells up as you go along, aren't ya?",**_ Kasai asks with a snicker, not at all visibly threaten by the heated glare Natsu was sending him or the flames billowing off of his body, " _ **Because honestly, it sounds like you're pulling these names out your ass. I mean, no doubt your vocabulary is limited but at least put some thought into them."**_

Kasai then lowers his head to dodge the spin kick Natsu throws at him and the two once again resume their game of cat and mouse.

Both Loke and Capricorn share a look with each other, one that indicated that they knew something wasn't right regarding the spirit. They weren't the only ones either as Romeo was eyeing the kitsune suspiciously as well.

" _Big Brother Natsu is a great fighter, there's no doubt about tha_ _t. In fact, he might be one of the best the guild has ever had and Kasai can't cast any spells without me so he has a major advantage. But... something seems...off about all of this",_ he thought as he kept watching Kasai dodge every punch and kick that was being thrown at him with uncanny ease, " _It's almost like Kasai is_ _holding back, but why?"_

Romeo's thoughts took him back to the train ride home, back to the moment where he felt his life was just a hair's breadth away from ending and where he initially felt the sadistic aura of his first summon. Then his memories went back even further to Kasai's fight with Tarsus.

" _Straight out of the get-go Kasai was trying to maul Tarsus, claws, teeth, and all. He even used the fire in his tail at one point._ _So why all the hesitation_ _now?",_ he asks himself as a foreboding feeling began to creep into his heart, " _Now that I think about it, Kasai was intently watching everyone train out in the field over the past few days."_

Over the week while Romeo was training to beef up his magic supply, he occasionally spotted his fire spirit watching the rest of the guild as they train in the clearing. At first, the boy thought it was nothing more than a passing curiosity for Kasai but now he was having second thoughts about it.

Meanwhile, the other spectators of this event were silent if not a bit confused about how things have turned out.

"Not going to lie but I was expecting this to be more of an actual fight than just a game of tag", Gajeel says, drawing a look from Max.

"You know what tag is?", the Sand Mage asks, receiving a glare from Gajeel in the process.

"You do realize that I was a kid once?", he growls.

"Could have fooled me. Thought you were just born into a fully grown disgruntled man with a stick up his butt", Jet murmurs under his breath.

"Gajeel's past aside, he's right. I expected that by now both Kasai and Natsu would be in an explosive deathmatch with us having to intervene to prevent it from carrying over into Magnolia", Freed states while everyone else around him nodded their heads.

Both Capricorn and Loke turn to stare at Freed, a move that did not go unnoticed by the Rune mage.

"I beg your pardon, gentlemen, but is there something on my face?", he asks.

"From what you just said, you make it sound like that Natsu is on even ground with Kasai", Loke answers.

"Well while he's no Laxus-sama, I begrudgingly admit that he does have an impressive track record of defeating powerful opponents, Laxus-sama included but only with the help of Gajeel", Freed states, ignoring the grumbling coming for said Iron Dragon-Slayer.

"Did he defeat Acnologia?", Loke asks, causing Freed to go silent for a moment and everyone who was on Tenrou to turn their attention away from the fight to them.

"Well….Acnologia was more of a force of nature than anything-", Freed started, trying to quell the unsettling feeling that developed at the mere mention of the Dragon King.

"And what do you think Kasai is exactly, good sir?", Capricorn asks while adjusting his shades.

"A….spirit?", Elfman answers.

"Hmm, more powerful forces then yourself have thought that same thing in the past and they did not live long enough to regret it", Capricorn merely replies.

"What does he mean by that, Loke?", Lucy asks as she joins them.

"Let me ask you something, Lucy", the Lion Celestial Spirit says, "Did you know that with each contract a Celestial Spirit makes, they revert back to a certain level of magical energy then what they were before the contract was made?"

Lucy looks at Loke with a baffle expression.

"Are you trying to say that Celestial Spirits doesn't carry over the magic power they had from their previous summoner?", Levy jumps in.

"That's another way of putting it, but correct", Capricorn answers while watching Kasai move out of the way of yet another punch from Natsu.

Lucy places a hand on her chin, "Now that I think about it, my mom did mention that. Something about how Aquarius wouldn't be as powerful for me as she was with her. Why is that?"

"It's because Spirits, along with a number of other entities, are cut from the same cloth as gods but to a much lesser extent", Capricorn states, "Our recurring magic reduction is part of a pact made with the heavens to maintain the delicate balance between us", he explains before pointing a finger at the fox spirit, "And Kasai is the reason for such a pact!"

" _ **Okay Pinky, this is starting to get a little dull and I got better things to do like bask in the sun or count the leaves on a tree",**_ the spirit of fire joke as he looks down at Natsu, who was starting to show signs of slowing down, " _ **So how about you just take this as a loss and move along with the rest of your extremely minuscule life?"**_

"Not until you take back what you said about Igneel!", Natsu growls as he clenches a fist

" _ **You can't take back the truth, Pinky. You will always remember pain and the truth hurts more than any wound caused by a weapon or a claw.**_ _ **Trust me, I know.**_ _ **",**_ Kasai explains, " _ **Igneel took a dump on the lessons I gave him and taught them to**_ _ **you**_ _ **, a lowly creature**_ _ **not even worthy to step**_ _ **in**_ _ **the ashes that I leave in my wake."**_

"OH YEAH?!", as flames once again began to erupt off of Natsu, "THIS WILL SHUT THAT MOUTH OF YOURS!", he screams as he inhales deeply and began to gather flames in his mouth.

"Wait, Natsu, don't!", Loke shouts but it was too late as Natsu jumps into the air, still gathering flames while he doing so until he was above even the treeline.

" _ **FIRE DRAGON'S ROAR!",**_ echoes throughout the forest as the dragon-slayer unleashes a massive column of raging flames at Kasai, hitting him dead on and engulfing the entire area around the spirit in a torment of fire. So powerful in his anger was Natsu, that the intensity of the flames forces everyone closest to them to move back in order to avoid getting burnt.

"Woah! Salamander must be really pissed off with flames like that!", Gajeel comments.

"Well, everyone who has been in Fairy Tail for years knows that his father is a sore subject for him!", Levy states before noticing the somberly look at the two Celestial Spirits' faces.

Lucy also takes notices of this and her curiosity gets the better of her, "Loke? Capricorn? What's wrong?"

Neither of the Celestial Spirits answers back to her, instead they just keep looking forward.

" _What's up with them?_ ", she wonders as she looks back to see Natsu land back on the ground and had a triumphal smirk stretch across his face.

"Ha! Take that! Bet you'll never talk bad about Igneel again after that!", he yells at the giant burning fireball that once used to be the guild courtyard.

A neutral expression crosses Capricorn's face as he adjusts his shades before turning to Loke, "It would seem that while Natsu-sama is an extremely exceptional fighter, he seems to be lacking in the "Know thy enemy" department."

"To be fair, this is the first time Kasai has been in this part of the world in gods knows how long so not a lot of people know about him", Loke replies, "Damn it, but I should have warned Natsu sooner! I guess I was betting on the fact that he would have realized it himself."

Romeo though is oblivious to this entire conversation despite being just a couple of feet behind the spirits as the uneasy feeling that started out small has now grown exponentially and was gripping his heart. It was telling, no, warning him that something horrible was about to happen.

And he didn't have to wait long to see what exactly it was as the giant fireball dramatically began to shrink right before everyone's eyes.

They all watch in shock and amazement as it rapidly diminishes in size and soon enough they could make out a familiar four-legged figure.

"Wow, he's still standing after getting hit by that?!", Happy says, only to have Loke turn and look at him.

"What part of Fire Elemental Spirit did you not understand?", he asks.

"Well, Natsu fought fire mages before and his spells bang them up pretty bad! I mean he's defeated Bora, Totomaru, Zacrow…", Happy starts naming off.

"Yeah, they were all human fire mages", Loke points out as the flames finally dissipate enough for everyone to see that they were being absorbed into the fox's tail, the burning power of Natsu's spell being turned into a stream of fire that was become one with the kitsune's appendage. But that only drew their attention for a moment before it was diverted to the fox himself who was now the walking embodiment of a hellish nightmare.

His eyes were shining as bright as the sun only they had a sinister glow to them that was in perfect sync with his bare fangs which glisten in the light. His claws were fully extended, digging into the ground underneath them as the grass around them began to burn away from the intense heat that was coming off of his body. The flames on his tail roar in anger as Kasai's back was arch up and his head was lowered and even from across the way, everyone could make out him trembling in barely restrained rage and the suffocating heat generating off of his body could be felt throughout the area.

" _ **You...you dare",**_ he said a voice so full of raw, unadulterated, anger that combined with his terrifying posture, causes everyone except Leo and Capricorn to take a step back on pure instinct alone, including Romeo.

"Here we go", Leo whispers.

" _ **I was created from the very essence of the Elemental Plane of Fire itself and it is**_ _ **t**_ _ **he source from w**_ _ **here I draw my flames from**_ _ **. Back in the eons before the first human was e**_ _ **ven a thought**_ _ **, I was a Guardian of Nature**_ _ **and**_ _ **the very sun bow**_ _ **ed**_ _ **to my**_ _ **blaze",**_ Kasai growls as he began to take ominous steps toward Natsu, his paws leaving scorch marks in the ground and for what it was worth, the dragon-slayer stood his ground.

" _ **While serving on the front lines during the Existence Wars**_ _ **, I**_ _ **laid waste to hundreds of realms within the Infinite Abyss, fought the**_ _ **devil**_ _ **legions of Asmodeus and his**_ _ **forsaken**_ _ **kin in all nine levels of**_ _ **H**_ _ **ell**_ _ **at least thrice**_ _**and alongside my brethren, battled each of the Four Horsemen of Abaddon in their**_ _ **personal**_ _ **strongholds and together we slew the Fifth Horseman, The Oinodaemon, in his own throne room.**_ _ **My flames have scorched the**_ _ **S**_ _ **hining Gates**_ _ **and made even the**_ _ **armies of heaven**_ _ **tremble in fear.**_ _ **"**_

"You know what's the most insufferable part about all of his boasting?", Capricorn said as he once more adjusts his glasses.

"The sheer fact that none of it is a lie?", Loke answers.

"Precisely. It really puts into perspective how young we are compared to him."

" _ **But**_ _ **I have never suffered such an insult as the one you just gave me! To think such a lowly creature as yourself would have the sheer audacity**_ _ **to attack me with a pure fire spell and hope that it would defeat ME! Prepare yourself for the afterlife, foolish creature! For I am about to do onto you what I have done to countless others of your kind!",**_ Kasai roars as he lunges straight at Natsu, his claws extend out those the mage's head.

Natsu ducks just in time to have the spirit going flying over his head, his razor-sharp claws taking off the very tips of his hair.

" _He's fast!",_ Natsu tells himself as he comes back up and turns around to face the fire spirit, only to find himself instinctively dodging another attempt at his head from Kasai's claw swipes as the spirit turn around quicker than expected, " _Real_ _ly_ _fast!"_

The fire mage backflips away and puts some distance between him and the enraged beast.

" _ **Fire Dragon's-",**_ Natsu starts to cast only to be interrupted as Kasai once again launches at him with his jaws wide open and his blade-like teeth aim on his throat. For the second time in a span of under ten seconds, Natsu founds himself ducking to the ground to avoid having his head taken off and once more Kasai goes sailing over him. The spirit lands on the ground and slid for a moment, his claws creating tiny trenches in his wake as he twirls around and charges, giving the Fire Dragon-Slayer no time to counter as he unleashes a storm of claw strikes and powerful bites at him.

A well-timed back lean allows Natsu to evade a claw swipe to his chest, the sharp ends barely scratching the fabric of his vest. Pulling his foot off the ground in the nick of time made sure that he wouldn't have a stump for a right leg as Kasai's claws sail harmlessly under it. Swerving his head to the left barely manages to keep his entire face from getting caught in the rugged deathtrap that Kasai called his jaws. In the midst of all the dodging and such, Natsu found himself press up against one of the log stacks that was used to repair the guildhall and only by sliding underneath the fiery fox at the last minute did he avoid the same fate as the wood as they were slice straight down the middle by a devastating downward slash.

"Holy crap", Gajeel whispers under his breath, "Never seem Salamander like this before in a fight. He's barely getting any room to breathe."

"I know, right? Can't remember the last time I saw him completely on the defensive", Gray added.

Erza's hand was shaking so hard that those nearest to her could hear her sword rattling. The S-Class mage wanted nothing more but to rush to the aid of Natsu in his battle with the fire spirit. But deep down she knew that he was prideful and although he wouldn't show it beyond a simple shrug and saying he could've handled it, Erza was well aware that it would deeply hurt the slayer's pride if he had to have someone else come help him in a fight, especially one that he threw the first punch it.

" _I just have to trust that Natsu will find a way to prevail_ _like he always does_ _",_ she thought before briefly turning her attention to the dragon-slayer's biggest fanboy, " _But why has he not sent Kasai back yet?_ _All of this could've been avoided._ _"_

" _Natsu will handle this. He'll be just fine. In fact, him beating up Kasai might get him to stop treating me like crap and threatening my dad",_ Romeo told himself over and over again, anything to keep the intense feeling in his chest from getting any larger. Unfortunately, that wasn't to be as every line of reassurance did the opposite effect and cause his anxiety to grow more and more.

"Do you think Natsu is going to be okay?", he hears Happy asks Lucy.

The Celestial Spirit mage looks down at the blue exceed, "There's nothing Natsu can't handle. I mean, he took on Acnologia and live to tell the tale", she reassures him.

A sudden crash brings Romeo attention back to fight where Natsu had just once more evaded a fatal pounce from Kasai and the fire spirit must have lost his balance in the process as he went sliding into another one of the log stacks, his sheer weight and size sending them sprawling out as his tail catches more than a few of them on fire. One of these burning logs came rolling those Natsu and he capitalizes on the opportunity to replenish his strength and began eating the flames, only to be brought to a knee with one hand over his mouth not far into it.

"Natsu, are you okay?", Lucy screams out and was about to run over to him with Loke steps in front of her and motion his head over to Kasai who was starting to get back up from his stumble.

"So good!", everyone hears him squeal, "His fire is soooooo tasty! Best I ever had!".

Nearly everyone sweatdrops at this statement, including Loke and Capricorn.

"Only that flaming idiot would talk about how tasty some flames are despite the dangerous situation he is in", Gray says.

Kasai once again stood up and turn upright to face Natsu, " _ **You're lucky I'm still shaking off nearly a thousand years of rust and can't use my magic or else this battle would have been done as soon as it started, Pinky."**_

Natsu stands back up, a cocky grin spread across his lips, "Oh, yeah?", he says as he finishes eating the rest of the flames, "Now I'm all fired up and this time I'm going to put you down!"

" _ **Ha! In case you haven't noticed, your fire spells have no effect on me!",**_ Kasai boosted.

"Then try this on for size!", Natsu screams as he engulfs himself in a blazing inferno.

" _ **Gladly! Give me your best, Pinky, and I'll make sure your death is quick and pai-!",**_ Kasai started before stopping him upon seeing something strange beginning to form around Natsu's fire, " _ **What in the Nine Hells?"**_

Before everyone's very eyes lightning became to surge up around the flames surrounding Natsu, merging with them until they form a completely new element.

" _Lightning Fire Dragon Mode_ _!"_ _,_ Natsu bellows.

"While we were fighting Precht on Tenrou Island, Laxus gave Natsu some of his lightning to eat and well this is the result of it!", Lucy explains.

"Amazing!", Nab shouts.

After a moment of staring at Natsu, a malicious smirk creeps its way onto Kasai's lips, " _ **Have to admit, Pinky, you surprise me! All**_ _ **the**_ _ **times I watch you and the**_ _ **other**_ _ **Short Lives train I never once saw you pull this off."**_

This all but confirm the suspicious feeling Romeo had about Kasai while Erza herself is taken aback by the statement, " _He was watching us train?_ _Why?_ _Was he trying to get a feel of our fighting skill?",_ she wondered.

" _ **But it matters not, adding a little lightning to your fire doesn't change the fact that it will barely tickle me",**_ Kasai laughs.

For once, Natsu has no reply for Kasai and merely began sucking in the fire, including the flames that were still burning on the logs. Once he was done he aims directly at the fire spirit.

" _ **This again?! Come then, show me what passes for fury among your misbegotten kind!",**_ Kasai challenges.

" _Lightning Fire Dragon's Roar_ _!",_ as he unleashes massive burning electric blast directly at Kasai who stood firm.

At first, the fire spirit was confident that he could withstand the attack but as it got closer and closer his eyes began to widen upon feeling the raw magical energy being projected off of the spell. By the time his mind tried telling his body to move it was too late.

 _ **"Oh, crap!"**_ , he screams as it collides head-on with him and he vanishes within it.

" _ **RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!",**_ escapes from the fox's jaws and echoes throughout the forest causing everyone to cover their ears in order to prevent their eardrums from bursting at the spirit's painful shrieking.

The blast continues on through the woods before finally dissipating near the mountains. When everything died down back at the guildhall, a deep trench traveling for at least a couple of miles could be seen along with charred and blown back trees on both sides of it.

"Yeah...take...that...you stupid...fox", Natsu huffs out as he collapses backwards onto the ground.

"Natsu!", Happy shouts as he flies over and lands next to him, "Are you alright?"

"Of course I am!", he grins, "I'll admit that he was tougher then I thought he be, but I came through!"

Lucy lets out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, "Thank goodness. He had me worried there for a second", as she starts to walk over to Natsu before feeling a grab her from behind. She turns around and sees that it was Capricorn holding her back.

"Capricorn, what are you doing?", she says but the Goat Spirit ignores her as he looks at Romeo, who had a daunting expression on his face as he stares off into the forest in the direction Natsu's attack took Kasai.

"Romeo, did you feel Kasai go back to the Spirit World?", Loke asks in a serious tone, something she rarely heard him use.

But Romeo did not answer at first, he just kept looking at the woods.

"Romeo!", Loke harshly shouts while placing a hand on the boy's shoulder, finally catching the boy's attention, "Did you feel Kasai return to the Spirit World?"

Romeo slowly shook his head, "N-No, I didn't-", he stops before his eyes widen in fright, "Natsu, look out!", he shouts just as a blur came zipping out of the forest.

The hairs on Natsu's neck stood up and the slayer grabs his small companion and chucks him as far as he could just mere moments before a huge paw with five extended claws could slice him in two. Towering over Natsu with a body showing signs of deep bruises, cuts, and short bolts of lightning still arcing across large patches of charred and burnt fur was the walking monstrosity of Kasai the Fire Elemental Spirit.

Kasai was looking down at him with a face contorted into one of primal rage. His eyes glowing so brightly now that they easily surpass the sun in intensity along with all the hairs on his body bristling in raw anger. His tail was now revving up in such a frenzy that pieces of it were starting to flake off and set the grass nearby alight.

" _ **You!",**_ Kasai shouts as he lifts up one of his front legs and brings it straight down on top of Natsu's right kneecap, instantly shattering the bone as he put all of his weight and power into it, " _ **Filth**_ _ **!"**_

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!", fills the ears of everyone present as Natsu howls out in anguishing pain. But this only lasts for a moment before Kasai slams his head into the ground with an open paw, his claws embedding themselves deep into the dirt and surrounding Natsu's head in a makeshift cage while pressing his face down into the dirt. He then lowers his snout until it was hovering just above the slayer's ear.

" _ **Your death is going to give me the greatest sense of pleasure I have felt in over ten millenniums,**_ _ **Pinky**_ _ **. Normally I would make it slow and extremely painful**_ _ **for those who have irked me beyond all reasonable means**_ _ **, but since you did, in fact, give me your best shot, I'll keep my promise and make it quick and painless!",**_ Kasai tells him.

"How-", Natsu struggles to get words out through the intense pain surging through his body, "How are you still standing after taking a hit like that? You should be back in the Spirit World after that spell!"

" _ **W**_ _ **ow, even when you're facing certain death you still have a mouth on you. I can't help but begrudgingly admire that",**_ Kasai spoke with complete sincerity despite the rage in his voice, " _ **Well, let me let you in on a little secret then. While your lightning did hurt me, it wasn't enough to dispel me**_ _ **",**_ the fox taunts before opening his jaws wide, _**"Now die."**_

" _S_ _word Air Slash!"_

Kasai jumps back away from Natsu just in the nick of time as a scythe-like blade of magical energy passes through the exact spot he was standing only a second ago. Upon landing, the spirit turns his full attention to the rest of the Fairy Tail mages who were all preparing themselves to do battle as each of them began to summon their own variety of magic. Erza was at the front of them, her sword at the ready.

" _ **Oh, I was wondering when you lot were going to join in",**_ Kasai chuckles darkly, _**"Guess it wouldn't be fair to Pinky if he was the only one I had fun with today."**_

Erza points her sword directly at the fox, throwing a heated glare at him in the process.

"Stand down or face the consequences!", she warns.

" _ **You can't be serious! I just wreck one of your best mages and a**_ _ **ll you think that you**_ _ **can do better? T**_ _ **rust me, stay out of this, all I want is Pinky's head! With how riled up by bloodlust is right now I can't promise you that you won't end up a corpse if you get involved!**_ _ **",**_ Kasai warns.

"We will not stand down and watch you take the life of one of our comrades!", Erza declares.

Kasai lets out a feral growl, " _ **Don't say I didn't warn you, Pointy!"**_

"Romeo", Erza says in a low, cold voice, "Send him back to the Spirit World, now."

But there was no response from the former fire mage and Erza took the risk to shift her eyes from Kasai to the younger mage. He was frozen in place, his eyes glued to Natsu who was now sitting upright and trying to stand on his one good leg, but his progress was predicatively slow. Also with great effort, the dragon-slayer began trying to summon what little magic he could and a small amount of embers could be seen gathering in his hands though this seemed to be the full extent of what he could do.

"We..ack! We...aren't done yet!", he says through clench teeth as he struggles to get up, "I can still fight!"

" _ **Ha! Pinky, n**_ _ **ow you're just being pathetic**_ _ **! You can't even stand and your little healer isn't here today!"**_ Kasai laughs, " _ **But don't worry, I'll get back y**_ _ **ou once I'm done with the rest of your friends!"**_

" _Did he intentionally chose today to start trouble because Wendy isn't here? Did he also do it because Master Makarov and Mira are gone as well?",_ Erza wonders before shaking her head of such thought, "Romeo!", she barks.

The youngest active member in Fairy Tail snaps out of his trance and he looks at the Requip Mage.

"I know it's hard for you to see Natsu in that state but I need you to send Kasai back to the Spirit World at this very moment! If we were to engage him in combat now, I can't guarantee that all of us will come out in the best of shape!", Erza tells him.

Romeo nods at this, "R-Right! I'll send him back now!", as he began to focus his magic while staring at Kasai who was glaring right back at him.

" _ **Oh, I don't think so, Kit",**_ Kasai smiles as his eyes turn pitch black and turns his sights to his selected targets.

"Oh no", Leo says as he figures out just who exactly those targets were, "Lucy! Romeo! Juvia! Cover your-!"

" _ **Piercing Fear!",**_ Kasai says as a black aura pulse out of his eyes and washes over the Water Mage, the Celestial Spirit Mage, and Elemental Spirit Mage before anyone could react.

For a moment, no one made in motion, frozen in time trying to figure out what just happen.

Till all three mages in question drop to the ground, their hands clutching their hearts.

Romeo couldn't move, he could hardly even blink. It was like his body was failing to heed what his brain was telling it to do. He could barely breathe and his heart felt like it was caught in the grip of cold, lifeless hands. And that's when he saw it…

Appearing no more than a couple of yards from him was a tall, cloaked figure covered in a black hood that was slowly coming toward him, dragging on the ground what look like a large scythe with the menacing blade shining in the sunlight and leaving a trail in the ground behind it. Every step echo within Romeo's eardrums, every passing moment brought the mysterious entity closer and closer to him until it was finally standing right over him. Once it did Romeo was able to finally get a good look at the face underneath the hood and found himself looking directly into the red glowing eyes of a bare skull completely remove of skin.

" _The Grim-Grim-Grim",_ his mind kept saying over and over but he couldn't even bring himself to finish the sentence.

The creature then moves silently as it equally skinless hands took hold of the shaft to its frightening weapon and methodically raise it high above its head, its eyes never leaving Romeo. The boy could only watch helplessly, unable to move, barely able to breathe as the creature brought his blade down on top of the former fire mage's head.

"Juvia! Oi, Juvia!", Gray screams as he cradles the Water Mage who was trembling in his arms while still clasping her heart, "Speak to me!"

"Lucy!", Natsu screams out as he began crawling over where she was at, only to stop when a large paw press down on his back.

" _ **You are not going anywhere. We still have unfinished business that we'll get back to once I'm done with your friends, Pinky",**_ Kasai says.

"What did you do to them?!", Erza demands as she readies herself to attack Kasai right then and there.

" _ **Relax, Pointy. They aren't going to die**_ ", Kasai tells as he moves away from Natsu, " _ **Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to use that move on Kit."**_

"He's right, Erza", Loke tells her as he looks over Lucy who was trembling on the ground, "Piercing Fear does nothing but paralyzes the victim in a state of perpetual fear and it wears off after around fifteen, twenty minutes."

" _ **Exactly, now this is your l**_ _ **ast chance to back out and let me get back to my business with Pinky in peace. Take it or leave it.**_ _ **",**_ Kasai smiles.

Erza grits her teeth, "Everyone, prepare to attack on my command! Leo! Capricorn! I'm going need you two to aid us in the fight seeing how you two seem to be knowledgable about what tricks Kasai has up his sleeves!"

" _ **Bwhahahahahahaha! You think Mane Boy and Goat Cheese are going to help you?!",**_ Kasai howls to the heavens, " _ **I get that you mortals are not very knowledgeable in the way things work between us spirits but I thought at least they would have told you!"**_

Erza spares a look at Loke and Capricorn and notices that both of them seem uncomfortable at the moment, "What is he talking about?"

Loke takes a deep breath, "There's a number of rules establish between the Elemental Spirits and the Celestial Spirits. One of them pertains to keeping us from restlessly fighting one another."

Capricorn then steps in, "That rule is that a Celestial Spirit can only fight an Elemental Spirit under three circumstances. One, if the Elemental attacks the Celestial first, the Celestial can defend themselves. Two, if the Celestial is ordered to by their summoner. And finally, if the Elemental threatens the life of the Celestial's summoner. Those are the only times that we can attack Kasai or any other of the Elemental Spirits."

Erza looks down at Lucy, the blonde mage's eyes still frozen in terror, "So that's why you targeted her. To keep Loke and Capricorn from fighting."

" _ **Right you are, Pointy!",**_ Kasai replies, _**"As long as I don't touch her or them, they can't do a thing but watch!"**_

Erza then looks at Romeo, "No doubt you targeted Romeo to prevent him from sending you back to the Spirit World."

" _ **Right again!",**_ Kasai keeps laughing.

"You monster! It seems you have no shame even in targeting children!", Erza accuses, narrowing her eyes at the fire spirit.

The smile from Kasai's lips instantly drops and morphs into a snarl, " _ **Careful with your words, Pointy. Do not begin to think**_ _ **your simple mortal mind can comprehend**_ _ **me. I was already**_ _ **beyond**_ _ **ancient long before the metal ore used to forge your swords and armor wa**_ _ **s**_ _ **even created."**_

Erza keeps up her glare for a moment before finally laying her eyes on Juvia, still in Gray's arms.

" _But why would he go for Juvia? I can understand her being a Water Mage could be a threat to him, but she hasn't been practicing out in front of the guild with the others at all since we been back. So how did h-"_

A lightbulb goes off in Erza's mind and she slowly turns her full attention back to Kasai, who was grinning once more.

" _ **It seems like someone finally figured it out."**_

"That fire you started in the guildhall the day we first met you, it wasn't because you were being playful or anything, was it? You were trying to see who could use water magic and Juvia just so happen to put it out by herself."

" _ **Well, at least you're smarter than you look. I honestly thought you were an idiot at first seeing how you only put armor on the upper half of your body",**_ Kasai snipes.

Erza takes an offensive stance and prepares for a fight. This motion signals the rest of the guild to ready themselves as well as Gray gently put Juvia down and put his hands together in his signature spell casting form while Max summons a miniature sand-tornado in his hand along with everyone else preparing their magic.

" _I would feel a lot better going into this fight with Wendy here but she's with Master Makarov and the others in town. If almost as Kasai waited until a day like this to cause trouble, which he probably did",_ Erza tells herself as she closes her eyes and began to channel her magic.

" _Flame Empress Armor will protect me from Kasai's tail, though it means I won't be able to use its spells on him, but I shou-",_ Erza thought before a voice interrupts her thought.

"Erza, look out!", Jet screams and the Queen of the Fairies opens her eyes and ducks just in time to avoid having her head taken off by one of Kasai's claws. She quickly jumps back and manages to put some distance between them before coming to a stop and putting her sword diagonal defensive stance.

" _ **You didn't honestly think I was going to give you time to transform now, did you?",**_ Kasai taunts, " _ **There's a small window in-between your transformation and unlike you past opponents, I'm not going to grant you the courtesy of waiting until you change."**_

"You bastard! You have no honor!", Erza spats.

" _ **Ha! Honor was**_ _ **an**_ _ **i**_ _ **deal**_ _ **invented by f**_ _ **ailures**_ _ **so they could have an excuse when t**_ _ **hings didn't go their way**_ _ **!",**_ Kasai says, _**"As long as you come out on top it doesn't matter how you got there!"**_

Erza lets out a warcry and launches herself at Kasai, the very speed behind her motion producing a dust trail behind her. Placing her sword into a thrust position, she looked ready to plunge it directly into the spirit's head and would have too if he didn't somersault backward away from her at the last moment and the Requip Mage finds herself barely managing to avoid her face getting burn by his tail as it swept by her. Landing on his feet with a crash a couple of yards away, Kasai eyes his new target with a predatory gleam.

" _ **You know what, I've calmed down a little now. That means for you that I have enough control not to kill you insects",**_ he says before cracking his neck a little and revving up his tail, " _ **But that doesn't mean most of you aren't going to be missing a limb or two when this is all over. And just s**_ _ **o we're clear**_ _ **, I'm still taking Pinky's head when all**_ _ **this**_ _ **is said and done."**_

"Over my dead body", Erza responds.

" _ **Don't tempt me because that can still be arranged.**_ _ **",**_ Kasai replies as he crouches down and prepares to pounce.

**A/N: Let me state by saying that Kasai has been around for a long long time. How long will come about in later chapters.**

**Also, I would like to point out that pure FIRE spells do not work on Kasai, the Fire Elemental Spirit, whatsoever. Now fire spells combine with other elements, say lightning, do hurt him but only the non-fire part does. Now a powerful enough water spell or lightning spell is definitely going to hurt him, especially water. Basically any strong non-fire spell is going to do damage to him. Basically, Kasai is the worst type of opponent for Natsu to fight.**

**Now could Natsu's kick and punches hurt him? Well, he wasn't just dodging them to taunt the dragon-slayer.**

**Also, Kasai pulled an Android 17 from Dragon Ball Super by not allowing Erza time to change.**

**This story was semi-beta by _Tenryu no hoko_** **who has been a massive help in idea swapping and such. Check out their stories, "Times Comes Around" "Tales of the Romeoverse", and "Heart of the Flames", when you have the chance.**

**Also check out my other stories like, "The Wild Master", "A Child of Fire and Brimstone" and the Fiery Hurricane series.**

**Please leave a Review, Fav, or Follow, if you want.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimers: I do not own Fairy Tail**

**A/N: So I may have gotten a PM or two, about how the fight between Natsu and Kasai went down in the last chapter. Here is one of the main reasons why Kasai defeated Natsu. There are more but I feel this is most relevant.**

**Kasai, the FIRE Elemental Spirit, is naturally immune to fire, not resistant, immune. He doesn't take a lesser percent of damage from purely fire spells and such, he takes NO DAMAGE.**

**He said in the beginning that he is the embodiment of fire given physical form. Up until his Fire Lighting Dragon Mode, Natsu had nothing that could hurt Kasai, who was also dodging his punches and kicks, so constantly hitting him was out of the question. Plus he only took half damage from the roar, the lightning half.**

**Plus, in the manga (Chapter 259) when Natsu does this spell against Max, he has completely drained afterward and actually falls down due to exhaustion, so that wasn't an overreaction I wrote.**

**Kasai was just the wrong type of opponent for Natsu to face. You already read that Kasai was more worried about Juvia, so he is not invincible.  
**

**I want to thank _Tenryu no hoko_ for helping me with this chapter. You should check out their stories when you have the chance.**

**Please leave a Review, Fav, or Follow, if you want, and check out my other stories as well if you have the time.**

_**Cunning Like A Fox** _

**Earlier in the Day**

"Mira, how do you feel about Kasai?", Makarov asks the She-Devil as the two of them had just concluded their business with the mayor of Magnolia and were now walking back to the guild hall. They were in talks to see if they could gain entry inside of the old guild hall in order to attain some items that may have had been left in there since the building was foreclosed, though Makarov himself had some other reasons as well for wanting to get inside.

The oldest Strauss sibling puts a finger on her chin and tilts her head.

"Well, something is definitely off about him", she answers, "Almost as if he is not what he seems to be. It feels like he is hiding something behind that smile of his."

The elderly Wizard Saint crosses his arms and nods his head, "I got that same impression too; especially after the other day when he appeared behind Macao and myself without making a sound."

"He manages to sneak up on you?", Mira says, clearly surprised by this revelation. While the old man's hearing wasn't on Natsu or the other dragon-slayers' level, it was still far above most people. Though this wasn't the first time Kasai has shown that he can quiet when he wants to be seeing how he caught the entire guild off-guard with him burning the tavern, having snuck past everyone else to do so; something that should have been nearly impossible given his size.

"He did and that is what worries me", Makarov confesses before looking up at the S-Class mage, "Now, tell me how you feel about Romeo and his newfound magic?"

Mira takes a little longer to answer and Makarov notes a bit of hesitation in her eyes.

"Mirajane?", he says.

"I feel….", she started before taking a breath, "I feel that Romeo is in over his head with this new magic despite him having no say in getting it. Spirits are powerful beings, just look at the Celestial Spirit. Plus, just going off of Virgo's reaction to Kasai's anger, the Elemental Spirits may be on a whole another level of power."

"Hmm, you feel that it might go to the boy's head?", Makarov asks.

"Wouldn't be the first time at this guild when a powerful mage let their ego get the best of them", Mira points out, her thoughts going back to Laxus and his attempt to take over the guild.

"Indeed", Makarov agreed though his thoughts were about both Laxus and his son, Ivan, "But I feel Romeo is better than that."

"I guess we will have to wait and see", Mira says before a loud explosion echoes out from the forest.

"It seems that something is going on at the guild hall", Makarov says, "We best make our way over there."

**Back to the Present**

"Gajeel, now!", Erza barks.

"Here we go! _**Iron Dragon's Club!",**_ as the dragon-slayer's arm transforms and he aims it at Kasai, propelling it forward at the spirit's head. Kasai casually sidesteps the attack and charges headlong at a vulnerable Gajeel.

"Oh no, you don't!", Gray shouts as he brings his hands together, " _ **Ice-Make: Arrow!",**_ he casts as he brings them apart, a frozen bow forming in the space between them. He then unleashes a barrage of ice shaped arrows at Kasai's side.

" _ **Nice try, Frosty!",**_ the Fire Spirit laughs as he quickly turns his back to the incoming projectile, revving his tail up. So fierce were the flames coming off of it that the arrows completely melted when they got within a couple of yards of him, forming small puddles on the ground, " _ **But I am one of the last opponents you want to go up against!"**_

Gajeel, seeing that Kasai was now distracted, takes the chance to change his arm back and reforms it.

" _ **Iron Dragon's Sword!",**_ as his arm became a jagged iron blade, equipped with spikes along its edges.

Kasai casts a side-eye at the dragon-slayer, " _ **Oh? What's this now? You're going to cooking something for me?"**_

"I'll slice you and dice you!", Gajeel replies as the spikes on the sword began revving up like a chainsaw and the former ace of Phantom Lord launches himself into the air at the spirit, the blade now arcs over his head. He brought it down with a powerful swing, once more aiming directly at Kasai's head.

And once more, Kasai dodges it by leaping out of the way, Gajeel's sword crushing the ground he was standing on only moments before. But the dragon-slayer didn't simply stop there as he quickly rotates himself to face his fiery foe and launches at him, this time preparing to deal a slash with his sword arm. As he swung, Kasai crouches low to the ground, the blade sailing harmlessly over his head and only hitting his tail in the process.

"Damn it!", Gajeel curses as he brings his arm back and notices that the part of the blade that ran through the flames was now glowing red, " _Just how hot are those flames?"_

But he has no time to dwell on such thoughts as Kasai lunges at him from his crouch position, his open jaws aiming at his left leg. It was only thanks to the dragon-slayer jumping away at the last second that he avoided losing his lower limb as he flips in the air and lands with his arm turning back to normal.

" **Ice-Make: Saucer!",** Gajeel hears and he turns to see Gray creating a giant spinning disk out of ice, its edges resembling that of a buzzsaw, and launching it at Kasai's left side.

" _ **You just don't learn, do you?",**_ Kasai screams as he changes the direction of his tail from pointing backward to covering the left side of his body, instantly melting Gray's attack before it even got close to him.

"What the hell?!", Gray shouts, astonishing by what he just witness.

" _ **The flames are attached to my body, so I can easily control them to a certain degree!",**_ Kasai brags, _**"So by all means, keep using your pathetic magic against me!"**_

Gray grits his teeth as he brings his hands together, "Oh yeah, try this! **Ice-Make: Crescent Blades!** ", as he fires off a barrage of crescent-shaped ice spells at the Fire Spirit.

" _ **And here I thought Pinky was the only idiot!",**_ Kasai laughs, as once more the attacks harmlessly melt away before they could reach him but then a bright light from his other side catches his attention.

" **A** **damantine Armor!** _ **",**_ he then hears from a voice emitting from the light, and when it faded Erza was standing there clad in a bulky bluish-white armor with shields attach to its side.

" _ **Well, well, well, that's a set of armor I thought I never see again.**_ _ **It's a miracle that it has lasted this long in the hands of humans.**_ _ **",**_ Kasai states as he turns to face the Queen of the Fairies.

"This is the ultimate item in terms of defense! Not even you could crack it!", Erza declares as boldly stands her ground.

The Fire Spirit eyes her armor for a moment, taking in every detail of the obstacle that was in front of him as if he was forming a strategy in how to deal with it.

" _ **I hate to admit it but you may be right",**_ Kasai surprisingly conceded, " _ **In my current form, trying to crack your armor would be a waste of energy and time-consuming, the latter a bigger problem for me than the former."**_

Erza could help but let her confidence rise at the spirit's statement.

But then Kasai turns his head to his right at where Levy, Droy, and Laki were, noticing the slight distance between them and the main body of Fairy Tail mages and Erza's heart rate skyrocketing when she saw the glee in his eye.

" _ **Thankfully, such near-invulnerability does not extend to the rest of your friends",**_ he chuckles darkly before taking off at the three mages.

"Look out!", Erza screams, but luckily Levy quickly responds to the charging Elemental Spirit as she brings her hand up and quickly writes out a word, an orb of light appearing as she did so.

" **Solid Script: Water!",** she shouts as she propels the light toward Kasai, the orb itself transforming into said word, though it was covered entirely in water.

Kasai leaps over the spell and continues barreling toward Levy.

" **Solid Script: Water! Solid Script: Water! Solid Script: Water! Solid Script: Water!",** Levy lets off rapidly at the oncoming spirit, but his superior mobility proves too much as he nimbly dodges the first three spells and leaps high in the air over the fourth one. Once he was at the climax of his jump, he dives down, specifically aiming at Laki.

The Wood-Make mage took action and create a magic circle in front of her, aimed high at the fire entity.

" **Wood-Make: Violent Approach** _ **!",**_ she casts and a massive spiked ball made from wood shoots out of the circle at tremendous speed.

" _ **Pathetic**_!", Kasai screams as began spinning forward as he fell, rotating so fast that his fiery tail seems to cover his entire body in flames as he was on a collision course with the spell.

**CRASH!**

Effortlessly, Kasai went straight through the wooden ball, his flames encroaching upon it and turning it into cinders before he even hit the ground right in front of Laki.

Caught off guard by the ineffectiveness of her magic, Laki barely has time to react before Kasai slashes her with one of his paws, leaving four bloody streaks across her upper body in its wake. She collapses on the ground, screaming in pain but no one has time to come to her aid before the kitsune turns his sights on Droy.

" _ **You're next, Tubby!"**_

Droy, for all he's worth, only show the slightest signs of being intimidated by the close proximity he was to Kasai and his verbal threat before reaching into his Live-Coal Containers and pulling out a whole handful of Secret Seeds in both hands.

" **Plant: Chain Plant!",** he shouts as he focuses his magic onto the seeds in his left hand and throws him at the ground in front of Kasai. Instantly, miniature magic circles appeared under every seed and large vines grew out of them, bind themselves all over the kitsune's body, except for his tail, and severely limiting his movement.

" _ **You dare use my k**_ _ **in**_ _ **'s creation against me? You have some balls!",**_ Kasai shouts as though it seemed he was more enraged by the seeds themselves being used against him than the vines coming out of them that were strangling him.

"I'm not done yet!", Droy declares as he puts his magic into his second handful of Secret Seeds and throws them around Kasai.

Along with more vines send to reinforce the ones already around Kasai, due to the heat from his tail beginning to take effect on them, came vines with the ends shaped like fists.

" _ **M**_ _ **y, my my, aren't you creative?",**_ Kasai said right before the vines fists started pummeling hit in an endless barrage of punches.

"That's the same technique he used against me while I was still a part of Phantom Lord!", Gajeel states, "Even back then those fists packed a punch!"

" _ **Then there truly is a wide gap between you and I!",**_ Kasai laughs as he seems unbothered by the constant strikes beginning dealt against him. If anything, from Levy's point of view, he seemed more annoyed than anything though the vines were holding him in place.

But then that's when she noticed it.

A few seconds ago, Kasai's tail was a roaring inferno but now it was completely gone.

But then that's when Levy notices something else.

The Fire Spirit's body was now glowing and she could feel the heat coming off of him even from a distance along with sensing that it was rising in temperature and accumulating inside of the spirit.

It was at that moment when she remembered what Romeo told her and Lucy on the train that day to Oak Town.

" _He loves to turn up the heat in a room in an effort to get people's attention. The first fire started because I ignore him for so long that one of our kitchen chairs burst into flames."_

"Everyone, get back, now!", Levy shouts, prompting the rest of the guild to jump away from the kitsune.

All except for herself and Droy who unfortunately were not fast enough.

" _ **Heat Wave!"**_

Before either of those two could move, an aura of extreme temperature emits off of Kasai. The sheer heat of it causing the vines wrapped around him to wither away along with the grass closest to him as well. The wave passes over Droy, Levy, and an unconscious Laki, and the two members of Shadow Gear instantly fell to the ground, their eyes rolling into the back of their heads.

"Shrimp!", Gajeel screams out as takes off toward the Solid Script Mage.

" _ **Oh?",**_ Kasai says as he returns to normal and his tail reignites. He then quickly moves to hover over the unconscious Levy, causing Gajeel to stop in his tracks " _ **It would seem like this part**_ _ **icular human means a great deal to you.**_ _ **How intriguing.**_ _ **"**_

The Iron Dragon-Slayer grits his teeth and moves to attack but stops once more upon seeing Kasai place one of his large paws directly above Levy's head. This gesture prompts the others as well to tense up and hold their position.

" _ **O**_ _ **ne quick press.**_ _ **That's all it would take and her life would be**_ _ **forfeited.",**_ Kasai says, " _ **She wouldn't even feel a thing, I can promise you that."**_

The kitsune's head moves back and forth, his eyes locking with each and every mage in attendance, even causing a few like Nab and Warren to take a step back.

Then without warning, Kasai pulls back his paw.

" _ **I should just kill her now but I did make a promise that I wouldn't**_ _ **do that, at least not deliberately.**_ _ **",**_ he recalls before raising his paw, his claws now retracted, " _ **Here, take your trash**_ _ **somewhere**_ _ **else**_ _ **out of my sight**_ _ **."**_

And with a powerful swing, he swats Levy in her side and sends her flying, her body flailing around like a ragdoll as she soars through the air into Gajeel's waiting arms, who was at least thirty feet away.

"Oi Shrimp, speak to me!", he says, shaking the girl in an effort to wake her up, "Come on, wake up!"

" _ **And let's not forget about these two",**_ Kasai says as he does the same thing to both Droy and Laki, and both of the mages' unconscious forms are flung several yards through the air. Luckily both Elfman and Max were in the direction they were sent and manages to catch them before they hit the ground, though just like Levy, the two mages looked worse for wear, especially Laki.

"Her bleeding has stopped", Max notices upon taking a closer inspection at the wounds inflicted upon her by Kasai's claws.

" _ **The sheer temperature of my Heat Wave**_ _ **has**_ _ **no doubt cauterizes her wounds",**_ Kasai points out, " _ **You should be grateful."**_

"You did this to her in the first place!", Max snaps, his anger rising.

" _ **And I could have done much worse if I**_ _ **did not**_ _ **promise**_ _ **myself**_ _ **not to kill all of you guys outright",**_ Kasai laughs as he turns around to fully face the Sand Mage, " _ **But if you feel the need to avenge her then, by all means, come do so!"**_

The look on Max's face easily convene that he was about to take Kasai up on his offer, but before he could do so a figure appears in front of him, hovering off of the ground thanks to a pair of wings sprouting out of their back.

" **Fairy Machine Gun: Leprechaun!",** Evergreen casts and a torrent of energy needles shoot out from her at the Fire Spirit.

Reacting quickly, Kasai evades the spell, dashing left to right while putting some distance between him and the Fairy Mage. But just as he readies himself to launch his own attack…

" **Line Formation!"**

Kasai quickly spins around just in time to roll out of the way large, green, vertical crescent-shaped beam that slices the ground open as it travels along.

"You're pretty fast for a big guy!", Bickslow laughs as his "dolls" disconnected from their totem pole formation and hovered around him in a circle formation.

"Big guy! Big guy!", they repeated in sync.

" _ **And you're pretty talkative for someone who will only likely make it out of this alive because I deem it so!",**_ Kasai replies.

"We'll see about that!", Bickslow proclaims as his dolls began spinning rapidly in a circular pattern above him, getting faster and faster until they became a blur and taking on a green glow.

" **Baryon Formation!",** as a massive green magical beam came shooting out directly at Kasai who subsequently jumps far to the right to evade it, bracing himself for the large explosion that came afterward that rocked the area, sending debris everywhere.

" **Fairy Magic Gun: Leprechaun!",** the Fire Spirit then hears and began sprinting forward, a storm of energy needles now fast on his tail as Evergreen kept up the pressure on him.

"Yeah, get him! Send him over this way so I can get a piece of him!", Natsu screams from his position, while being attended to by Lisanna.

"Be quiet, Flame Princess!", Gray shouts at him, "We got this!"

"What was that, Ice Boy?!",

It was in the midst of all this that Kasai, while still evading Evergreen's spell, briefly glance to his left, a motion that was near unnoticeable and sees spots that catches his keen eye.

Or more so he found himself looking at Freed's right eye which was a much darker color than his left.

" _ **Now that's something new",**_ Kasai muses but then he catches something else that the Runes Mage was doing….

He seems to be writing something in the air with his sword.

" _ **Is that what I think it is?",**_ Kasai wonders as he veers left to avoid a barrage of beams set forth by Bickslow's dolls.

Between the two members of the Thunder God Tribe, Kasai seems to have his hands full just dodging their long-range attacks.

" _ **It's almost like they**_ _ **have**_ _ **realized**_ _ **that**_ _ **fighting me at close range is a bad idea",**_ Kasai tells himself, " _ **It would seem that some of these mortals have a brain between their ears."**_

He then makes a sharp right turn, narrowly avoiding Bickslow's beam barrage as he made a beeline in Evergreen's general direction who was hovering only a few yards off the ground near Freed.

"What is he doing?", she wondered as the Fire Spirit barreled toward her, but nevertheless kept up her attack.

Kasai bob and weaves, seemingly dancing around the two spells and at one point even had the Thunder God Tribe members nearly firing upon their comrades.

"Hey, watch it!", Gray shouts as he ducks down, narrowly avoiding a doll beam, "You almost hit me!"

"You're welcome to join in and help at any time!", Bickslow counters while still keeping his eyes on Kasai who was getting closer and closer to….

"Freed, look out!", he screams to the mage who was still in the midst of writing.

Evergreen moves to intercept Kasai, getting dangerously close to him to fire her spell in hopes of diverting his attention.

It was in that solitary moment of Evergreen once more gathering her magic to unleash the energy needles that she spotted something odd about Kasai. Not only was he slowing down but it seems like he was slightly changing his course…

And as he got nearer she could clearly see his sinister smile.

It was also in that moment that the gears in her head started to turn and she realizes that Freed was not the Fire Spirit's target, there was a good chance he never was.

He was going after someone much closer.

Evergreen ceases her spell mid-casting and moves to shoot herself higher into the sky but it was too late. The minute she moves to take off, Kasai leaps into the air above her, directly in her path. Upon colliding with her, he wraps around her and his sheer weight brought both of them to the ground with a heavy thump, kicking up a large dust cloud not far from where Freed was, and instantly runes began to appear on the ground in a box formation surrounding him before rising up to the sky and forming a barrier.

" _ **My, my, my,**_ _ **you must think you're so clever, don't you? The old trap-me-in-a-rune-barrier trick has be**_ _ **en**_ _ **t**_ _ **ried**_ _ **so many times**_ _ **on me**_ _ **before**_ _ **that I actually stop counting**_ _ **,**_ Kasai chuckles as the dust clears and reveals that he had his front right paw push down onto Evergreen's back, pressing her into the ground as the Fairy Mage struggles to get up but to no avail, " _ **B**_ _ **ut answer me this; did honestly think**_ _ **I forgot about you and your special eyes?"**_

Freed quickly draws his sword and rapidly approaches the barrier.

"Release her!", he demanded.

" _ **Or you're going to what?",**_ Kasai laughs as he presses down even harder on Evergreen.

A pained grunt escapes from her mouth through clenched teeth, though she stops herself from outright shouting.

" _ **Tough one, aren't you?",**_ Kasai begrudgingly admires, _**"**_ _ **I can't even get a little s**_ _ **cream**_ _ **from you?"**_

"I...won't give you the satisfaction!", Evergreen hisses back at him.

" _ **I see.**_ _ **Such defiance is an admirable quality to possess**_ _ **",**_ Kasai comments before looking around at the runes, " _ **Now m**_ _ **y Runic is a little rusty but I b**_ _ **elieve the condition of this barrier is that anyone over the age of one thousand years is unable to leave it",**_ the spirit say before laughing at Freed, " _ **Funny, you could have times that limit by ten thousand more and I would still be stuck in here."**_

Kasai hears footsteps coming from behind and slightly turns his head to see a majority of the remaining Fairy Tail members still standing on the outside of his barrier, all looking ready for another round of fighting.

" _ **Oh?**_ _ **Is there something you need from me?",**_ he laughs, his foot never leaving Evergreen's back.

"Get away from her!", Erza declares.

" _ **Who? Her?",**_ Kasai says as he motions down to Evergreen, " _ **Hmm, I might consider it after my little history lesson to your rune buddy here",**_ he replies as he turns back toward an agitated Freed who was now accompanied by Bickslow, _**"Tell me, do you know much about your lineage?"**_

No words came forth out of Freed's mouth.

" _ **Quiet now, are we?"**_ Kasai said before plopping down on his hindlegs and bringing up his left paw. Without warning, a single long, sharp, and glistening claw pops out, and Kasai puts the tip down into Evergreen's right shoulder and slowly pushes it, easily piercing her skin and going through her bones.

"ARRRGGGHHHH!", Evergreen screams as the claw sunk into her.

This causes a few of the lesser battle-harden Fairy Tail members to look away in horror.

Freed moves to dispel the barrier but is stopped when Kasai quickly withdraws the claw, earning another scream from the female Thunder God Tribe member, along with blood coming out of the hole he left.

" _ **When I ask you a question, I expect an answer",**_ Kasai states, " _ **Now if you will."**_

"Fine!", Freed finally answers, "I hail from House Justine of Midi and my family lineage goes back over six centuries. Satisfied?"

" _ **Anything else you wish to tell me? Any family secrets that you were told to keep?"**_

"None that I can think of", Freed hisses at him.

" _ **Really? Huh, that's something, oh well",**_ Kasai shrugs as he presses down a little more on Evergreen, who now had a small pool of blood forming due to her shoulder wound, " _ **Anyway, let me just tell you about that darky eye of yours.**_ _ **It means that somewhere in the past, a woman sharing your bloodline fornicate with a demon. Whether this was by her choice or not is hard to tell, it's a coin flip with you humans when it comes to these sorts of things. Such events, in turn, gave birth to a half-demon who somehow was not killed outright but even manages to survive long enough to start the**_ _ **family line from which you came from."**_

Freed actually found himself raising an eyebrow at this statement but that was the only reaction it got out of him.

Kasai then looks down at Evergreen and gives a mock surprise, " _ **Oh mine, I seem to have forgotten about you for a moment! Here I am giving a lesson while you are bleeding from such a terrible wound!",**_ he says as he looks back up at Freed, _**"**_ _ **I guess the responsible thing to do is to let her go so she can get it treated, but that would mean you would have to dispel the barrier now, wouldn't it?"**_

Freed gives Kasai a cold glare, an action mimic by his fellow guild members.

" _ **Oh drop the act, you're not scaring anyone. The longer you plays these games the more pool your friend is going to lose",**_ Kasai said before tapping his chin with a claw, " _ **Although**_ _ **there is a chance it won't be enough to be fatal in the time before I'm gone….hmmmm,"**_ the physical embodiment of fire thought before an idea came to him, ' _ **Oh wait, t**_ _ **his**_ _ **will work!"**_

Without warning, Kasai's tail started to rev up again, its flames spewing out behind him.

" _ **Now I'm guessing that you didn't add air holes to this thing**_ _ **seeing how you only thought I was going to be trap in here. S**_ _ **o that means**_ _ **I am burning away the oxygen in here, aren't I?",**_ Kasai says before looking down, " _ **Oh nevermind, no**_ _ **need**_ _ **for you to answer that question, your friend is already doing that."  
**_

Sure enough, Evergreen had one hand around her throat as she was desperately gasping for air which was quickly becoming more and more depleted within the barrier. Freed and Bickslow also notice the beads of sweat pooling down her face.

" _ **Blood loss, asphyxiation, or succumbing to the heat of my flames",**_ Kasai says, " _ **You get to decide her fate; which one shall it be?"**_

"If I recall correctly", Freed spoke once more through clenched teeth, the sight of seeing his friend in such pain being too much for him, "You said that you would not fatally harm any of us in this fight", he points out, trying everything he could to save Evergreen.

" _ **You're correct, I did make such a promise",**_ Kasai remembers, " _ **By that, I meant I wouldn't**_ _ **personally tear your head from your shoulders with my teeth, cleave you in two with my claws,**_ _ **or whatnot; you know, instant death.**_ _ **If you just so happen to bleed out from the wounds I inflict on you and such, that's not my doing; you were just simply to**_ _ **o**_ _ **weak to survive."**_

Bickslow grits his teeth before quickly lifting his visor up and his eyes instantly begin to glow while staring directly at Kasai's glowing eyes to which the Fire Spirit laughs.

" _ **Oh no, your spooky eyes are trying to take me over; whatever shall I do?",**_ He chuckles as Bickslow started to realize that his **Figure Eyes** weren't working, " ** _That's not going to work on me, so you best try something else."_**

With that, his flames died down and Evergreen found herself taking deep breaths of air as a result.

" _ **Careful now, I must have easily burned up at least half of the oxygen in this barrier already",**_ Kasai points out as he looks down at her, " _ **Though I'm sure your friend could s**_ _ **imply**_ _ **add air holes to it, that doesn't solve your problem of dying of blood loss or**_ _ **perishing at the heat of my flames.**_ _ **"**_

He then looked back up at Freed, " _ **So the only way to save you would be him dispelling the barrier."**_

He then looks at the rest of the guild behind him, _**"But that would mean that I**_ _ **get to have more fun with you lot."**_

Gray grits his teeth, "You bastard!"

" _ **Come now, do better; I have been called worse things than that",**_ Kasai smiles.

"The depths of your dishonor knows no bounds!", Erza seethes.

" _ **We have already had this conversation, Pointy, and I don't like repeating myself",**_ Kasai tells her, " _ **Now are you going to dispel this barrier or not? I advise you don't take too long to make a decision though."**_

Everyone exchanges looks with each other for a moment before looking back at Kasai.

"How do I know you will even let Evergreen go once the barrier is down?", Freed questions.

" _ **Hmmm",**_ Kasai ponders, " _ **I guess you really don't. I could give you my word that I will, but I doubt you would take it at this point",**_ he points out before suddenly smiling, " _ **Oh wait, how about a trade?"**_

"We're not giving you Natsu", Erza coldly states.

" _ **I'**_ _ **m getting him regardless**_ _ **of what you do, but no**_ _ **",**_ the Fire Spirit laughs before looking back at Freed, _**"I**_ _ **n exchange for me letting your friend go, I want one thing from him."**_

"And what would that be?", Freed wonders

" _ **I want your hands flat on the barrier when you dispel it",**_ Kasai told him, drawing a look of confusion from the Rune Mage.

"I beg your pardon?"

" _ **Are you deaf now? I want your hands on the barrier when you dispel it. Do this and I will not harm your friend here any further",**_ Kasai explains.

Freed had a strong feeling about what Kasai was going to do after he got rid of the barrier, but he didn't have much of a choice in the matter. As he sheathes his sword he turns his attention to Evergreen, who was still bleeding out underneath Kasai's paw.

"Don't you do it, Freed!", she screams at him, "Just keep him in here until Macao's boy wakes up!"

"Freed! Do not listen to Kasai! We will find a way to get Evergreen out of there but for the safety of the guild I need you to keep up that barrier!", Erza shouts at him.

 _ **"Tick tock, tick tock, every second counts",**_ Kasai said as he moves one of his claws back and forth.

The Rune Mage then looks at Bickslow, "What do you think I should do?"

Bickslow lets out a breath, "Damn if you do, damn if you don't."

Freed looks at Evergreen once again, the pool of blood around getting larger and larger. He then looks directly at the rune wall in front of him, "Indeed."

Without any hesitation, he quickly places his hands flat on the barrier, "Everyone, prepare yourself!"

"FREED, DON'T!", both Evergreen and Erza shout but to no avail.

" **Dissiper!",** the Rune Mage screams, and in the blink of an eye, the entire spell disappears.

Kasai instantly lunges forward at Freed who moves his hand to go for his sword but he wasn't fast enough as the Fire Spirit spun around and the very tips of his inferno tail pass through the mage's hands.

"ARGHH!", escapes his lips and he collapses to his knees, his hands now a swollen red with patches of white and black sprinkled about.

Freed then looks up to see Kasai staring directly down at him.

"I suppose this is the part where you go back on your word and end my life", he grits through his teeth.

Kasai shakes his head, _**"You humans and y**_ _ **our inferior beliefs. Just because your kind is universally known to go back on their word doesn't mean that those above you will. I said that I said I would not harm your friend anymore if you dispel the barrier and I won't nor shall I directly end your life as I promised earlier.",**_ he explains before swiftly turning his head toward Bickslow who was preparing to launch an attack, _**"I suggest you worry less about me and more about your comrade. Her wound is pretty bad."**_

This stops Bickslow in his tracks who then turns his gaze to Freed.

"See to Evergreen, I'll be fine", Freed tells him.

After a moment of reluctance, Bickslow slowly moves toward Evergreen, his eyes constantly watching Kasai.

 _ **"Now then",**_ Kasai says as he turns around to face Erza and the others, _**"I believe we were in the middle of something."**_

"Elfman, take care of Laki!", Max suddenly declares and he hands her off to the middle Strauss sibling.

"What are you going to do?", Elfman asks as he takes the Wood-Make mage.

"I have no idea. Probably something stupid", Max answers as he unleashes his magic and large amounts of sand start to fill the air. Elfman took this as his cue to move away from the Sand Mage with his comrades in hand.

" _ **Sand Magic, huh?",**_ Kasai smiles as he turns his attention to Max, " _ **Though your attacks will no doubt be utterly pitiful compare to the likes of those of desert properties I have faced in the past, I will humor you if only for a m**_ _ **oment**_ _ **."**_

" **Sand Slash _!",_** Max casts as he unleashes a crescent-shaped blast made of sand at the fire spirit.

" _ **Pathetic!",**_ Kasai repeats as he easily leaps over the attack and begins charging at Max, " _ **You'll have to do better than that!"**_

"Watch this then!", Max says as strings of sand began to swirl around his hands.

" _ **You're mine, Sandy Boy!",**_ Kasai shouts as he lunges forward.

" **Sand Wall!",** and out from Max's hands came forth a giant moving wall of sand which place itself directly in front of its caster.

Kasai slides to a halt and quickly assesses the spell in front of him.

" _ **Hmm, I would have to say that this might be considered somewhat impressive to your fellow human mages but to being such as myself, it is pitiful!",**_ Kasai spoke.

"I ain't done yet!", Max claims, " **Sand Rebellion!"**

The sands then began to form a circle around Kasai until it completely surrounded him, the very air around the spirit becoming hazy in the process.

"Take this!", Max screams as he swipes his hand and the sand around Kasai explode with a force so powerful that the ground itself shook a little and cover the area around the kitsune in a blanket of sand.

"Alright, Max!", Jet shouts as he gets ready to move toward him only to be stopped by Max holding up a hand.

"Not yet!", the Sand Mage states as the dust starts to settle, "This guy took a direct hit from Natsu's lightning roar and got right back up so I doubt he's done!"

" _ **And you would be right about that, Sandy",**_ Kasai's voice pierces through the dust and sand cloud, " _ **Your attack has done little to hurt me but I will give you points for effort",**_ he said as he steps out into the full view of Max, " _ **The last Sand Mage I fought barely tickle me with**_ _ **his**_ _ **attacks before I decapitated him while your spells, on the other hand, have stung a bit, you should take pride in that."**_

"Argh!", Max lets out before bringing his hands together in a type of prayer form, " _ **Sand**_ _ **T**_ _ **empest**_ _ **!"**_

Erupting from a magic circle that appears underneath him, a sandstorm of extreme magnitude form around Kasai and Max, enveloping a large area around them. There were swirling torrents of sands everywhere one was to look, blanketing and reducing visibility to near-zero.

While shielding her eyes Erza notices that the sands were light in the area that her comrades were in as she could make out their figures and the as well as the guild hall itself.

"Everyone head inside the guild hall! Help anyone who can't make it on their own!", she screams over the storm. Luckily, her voice was as strong as the rest of her body, and everywhere heard it clearly and began to gather up their comrades.

Soon Erza, Gray, and the others were heading toward the guild hall, grabbing those unable to move on their own while doing so.

Once everyone was sheltered within the hall, Erza turns her attention to Freed who was getting his hands seen by Kinana as he sat down in a chair.

"Freed! I told you to keep the barrier up!", she shouts at him as she moves toward him. Within moments, the S-Class mage found herself looking down at the Thunder Tribe leader, her hands trembling with anger.

"I am well aware of what you said. I was there if you recall", Freed replies calmly before winching as Kinana put ointment on his hands.

"Then why didn't you listen?! You put everyone's life in danger by refusing to keep Kasai contain!", Erza tells him.

"There are two reasons why I did not heed your command", Freed starts, "The first was that a fellow member of the Thunder God Tribe was in danger and in need of medical attention. As the leader, I have a responsibility for the safety of my team."

Kinana could feel the tension rising between the two swordsmen and tries her best to remain calm and steady her rapidly beating heart.

"The second reason and this should be the most obvious, is that despite what you believe, the Thunder God Tribe does not take orders from you", Freed concluded, "Only Laxus and the guild masters hold such power and you would do well to remember that S-Class is a title, not a leadership position. It gives you no authority over anyone."

"It is quite ironic you saying that when you so dutifully follow Laxus in the past!", Erza counters.

"I and the rest of my team did that of our own free will", Freed points out.

Erza's heated glare drills into the Rune Mage who seems unfazed by it.

"Do not misunderstand me though. If I feel that your orders are justified then I will follow them, but if I also feel that they would endanger the lives of my team, then I will refuse them", Freed added.

"More of our friends could have been hurt due to your recklessness!" Erza screams.

"Well, thank the gods they were not but if they were I would have been prepared to face the consequences of my actions", Freed replies, "Which is saying something is this guild."

The Requip Mage says nothing for a moment as she regards the Rune Mage. During said time, Kinana finishes bandaging up his hands and quickly makes herself scarce. It is only after she leaves that Erza quickly leans into Freed, stopping just a few inches short of his face.

"We are not through here. Once this is all said and done, you and I are going to continue this conversation", she growls.

"I am looking forward to it, but first we should deal with Kasai", Freed says right before Erza turns around and walks away and he turns his attention to Bickslow who was currently applying pressure to Evergreen's shoulder wound.

"You have quite the way with the ladies", he states.

"So I have been told", Freed replies as he turns to watch the woman known as Titania walk away.

"Warren, I need a mental link set up, now!", Erza shouts and the Telepathic Mage gives her a nod before bringing two fingers up to his forehead.

"Done!"

" _Max!",_ Erza mentally asks the Sand Mage, " _H_ _ow are you holding up_ _?"_

" _I'_ _m fine but I have to focus in order to maintain this spell_ _!_ _It was hard enough to keep the sands around the guild hall a little weaker than the rest of the storm so you guys could get to it!",_ he answers, " _Anyway, t_ _he storm stretches out to a hundred yards in every direction and even into the sky. With_ _h_ _is sight and smell no doubt affected by it,_ _n_ _ot even Kasai can find his way in it!"_

" _What about his hearing though?",_ Erza says

" _As long as everyone keeps quiet_ _and uses the mental link to talk,_ _I doubt h_ _e could find us_ _with his ears._ _Plus I can track him through_ _the sand_ _"_ _,_ Max answers before concentrating again, " _Right now, he is at the edge of the dome and he is...",_ he trails off.

" _He's doing what?",_ Cana asks.

" _He's just standing there. He isn't moving from his spot",_ Max answers.

" _Hmm, he may just be waiting for the spell to wear out. He must realize that a spell of this magnitude no doubt drains the caster's magic pretty quickly,_ _"_ _,_ Erza summarizes, "T _hough I'm surprised that he is letting something like a sandstorm stop him from attempting an attack. I figure that he would at least try to make his way through it to locate us."_

" _I guess even the oh so powerful Fire Spirit hates getting sand in his eye",_ Gajeel scowls as he looks down at Levy who was lying unconscious in the bed he places her on in the backroom.

" _Whatever the reason it_ _means t_ _hat we have time to come up with a plan",_ Erza states.

" _We have two options",_ Freed chimes in as he hovers over Evergreen, " _Either we can attack him once more and hope to overwhelm him on our own, or we resort to waiting him out and hoping that Lucy or Juvia will wake up in time to aid us."_

" _Your best bet would be Romeo!",_ a voice suddenly chimed in.

" _Loke?",_ Erza questions.

" _Do you forget that I was a part of Fairy Tail for quite a long time? I have been a part of Warren's Telepathic Link network before",_ the Lion Spirit explains.

" _What's this about Romeo?",_ Gray asks.

" _When someone comes out of Piercing Fear, their body is not in the proper state to be up and moving around so quickly,_ _let alone fighting and casting spells_ _",_ Loke began to explain, " _If anything,_ _they would need another half an hour to fully recover in order to do that."_

" _So what makes Romeo so different?",_ Erza asks.

" _It takes very little to dispel a spirit if you're its summoner. Romeo could do it as soon as he wakes up!"_

" _Never thought the day would come where we would have to depend on Fanboy!",_ Gajeel shouts, his blood boiling, " _Damn it, w_ _e need to stop hiding and go out there, and kick th_ _at_ _spirit's ass!"_

" _We are not hiding!",_ Erza declares, " _We are regrouping_ _our forces, making s_ _ure the_ _wounded are taken care of,_ _and reassessing the s_ _ituation!_ _In case you have not noticed, Kasai took out Natsu, Juvia, Levy, Laki, Droy, Romeo,_ _Evergreen, Freed,_ _and Lucy all in the span of less than five minutes. That is n_ _ine_ _mages; e_ _leven_ _if you count Loke and Capricorn being unable to fight Kasai unless Lucy orders them otherwise!"_

" _Twelve_ _as soon as this spell wears off!",_ Max adds, " _I'm going to be down for a whole day after this!"_

" _Which is another reason why we need to come up with a plan that could_ _effectively_ _defeat or at least stall Kasai until Romeo wakes up!",_ Erza states.

" _How much time you think_ _Romeo_ _has before he wakes up?",_ Bickslow wonders _._

" _I say_ _fifteen_ _minutes, give or take a f_ _ew_ _",_ Loke answers.

" _I can probably only maintain this for three more minutes at best so you better think of something fast!"_ _,_ Max says.

Cana takes the time to look around for a moment before her eyes widen in surprise as realization dawn on her.

" _Um, guys? Where is Romeo by the way?",_ she asks.

This prompts everyone to look around the area, searching for the youngest active member of the guild.

" _Please tell me someone grabbed him on the way in",_ Gray says as he looks at the rest of the group.

" _Well, he wasn't over there by Lucy and Juvia when I got over there, so I thought someone else might have grabbed him",_ Nab confesses.

" _Someone else did grab him",_ Loke says, " _And I bet you that someone else is Kasai himself."_

" _WHAT?!",_ most of the guild mentally shouts.

" _Don't worry, Romeo is perfectly safe with Kasai despite what it looks like",_ Loke assures everyone, " _By divine law, he has no choice but to protect his summoner, even if he doesn't like him. Once Max cast his spell, Kasai m_ _ore than likely made a_ _beeline directly toward him and took him out of the sandstorm since it technically counts as a spell that's affecting him."_

 _"Okay then, we will improvise that part; now we just have to deal with Kasai",_ Gray says, " _Any ideas?"_

" _Let me at him again! I'll show him!",_ Natsu screams from his place on the floor near the tavern.

" _Shut it, Salamander! You had your chance and blew it!",_ Gajeel shushes him, " _Just sit there and be quiet and let the rest of us handle this!"_

" _Silence_ _! Both of you!",_ Erza mentally shouts, " _We are facing an opponent who is ruthless, experienced, and cunning! We do not have the time for you two to be bickering!",_ as she moves to the center of the room to get everyone's attention, " _Now we_ _have_ _limited time so everyone listens up! I have an idea!"_

_..._

_..._

_**"Time...a**_ _ **concept created by mortals to help them have a better understanding of their world. To help them believe that they could comprehend everything going on around them.**_ _ **Time is and always will be irrelevant to immortals, for it means nothing to them. What mortals consider to be countless eons is merely a day, if that, for the gods and other beings who inhabited the higher planes of existence",** _Kasai thought to himself as he looks up into the clear blue sky.

" _ **But it didn't take long for the mortals to realize the consequences of their design as it soon dawned on them that they basically created their own limitations. This was especially true for the races that had shorter lifespans.**_ _ **Next came the concept of legacies for if a certain individual couldn't live forever then they would accomplish something that would make their name live on for eternity in the minds of the future generations.**_ _ **So they created empires, built enormous monuments dedicated to themselves, develop world-changing technology, and even push the bounds of the magic that was bestowed upon them.**_ _ **Then there were those who were willing to risk it all, so they foolishly made deals with creatures who dwell in the shadows and flames and even those who came forth from the abyss."**_

He then lowered his focus to the town of Magnolia, taking it the many houses that lined its streets.

_**"As a result of all this, mortals became….overconfident.** _ _**They forgot their place in the hierarchy of existence. They would challenge those who were around long before the very ground they stood on, the very water they drank, and the very air they breathed was even created. They sought to rebel against those who reign above them, hoping to replace them.** _ _**As expected, they would fail.** _ _**It was after this failure they decided that if they couldn't be a ruler among the gods in heaven then they would be a god among the mortals on earth and they turn on each other.** _ _**The strong conquer the weak. The strong then became weak. Then they were conquered by the strong.** _ _**This pattern would repeat itself over and over again.** _ _**But if it was one thing mortals were it was stubborn. They never learned from the mistakes of their past, they only outdid them."** _

Finally, Kasai turns his attention to the cathedral in the center of town and had to stop himself from laughing though he did crack a smile, " _ **T**_ _ **hrough all this from atop of their thrones on high in the heavens the gods would watch this cycle occur with interest in their eyes and smiles on their lips.**_ _ **For it was all nothing more than play to them a**_ _ **nd all things beneath them are mere puppets**_ _**being pulled by their strings."**_

Kasai shook his head, snapping him out of his musing. He looks at the giant sandstorm behind him for a moment before looking down toward the ground at the pathetic small human underneath him, his so-called summoner.

" _ **But what would you humans today know about that; for you still worship them as if they care about you. If only you knew.",**_ he tells Romeo as if he could hear him.

It sickens him how his body acted on its own, against his will, to save the boy; to get him out of the sandstorm despite Kasai knowing full well that such a spell is only a delaying action at best and wouldn't harm the human whatsoever.

But his creator felt that it was necessary to bestow, more like force, upon Kasai and his kin a certain divine law.

That they must be forced to protect their summoner no matter what, from whatever or whomever, no exceptions.

Whether they like them or not.

" _ **Perhaps I have been holding back too much",**_ he muses as he stretches, the pain from Pinky's attack finally fully subsiding. The kitsune was still berating himself for not knowing that that creature had a secondary magic mode that allows him to use lightning along with his fire. If he had known that he would have defeated far quicker instead of just playing around with him. But Pinky was still alive and that was a mistake that had to be corrected sooner rather than later.

His death would be the most gratifying the Fire Spirit has gotten out of anyone in over a millennium, that he swore. The fact that that pile of filth was allowed to walk around as freely as he did was nothing less than an insult to the kitsune and that's not even counting the Fire Dragon's Roar he attempted to use against him.

But first, he no doubt had to get through the others first and he had to do it before Kit woke up. If that happened it would all be over and he would never get an opportunity like this again. By his own calculations, he had little under fifteen minutes left before they broke out of his Piercing Fear and he wanted the sight of Pinky's severed head to greet them when they did.

If all went according to plan, then he would get everything he wanted and perhaps more. All he had to do was mop up the rest of them.

Kasai then turns around to fully face the swirling mass of sand, his ears homing in on the collective heartbeats of everyone inside the guild hall.

" _ **They must be using another form of communication to keep quiet. Too bad**_ _ **for them**_ _ **they are still living, breathing mortals."**_

Kasai then prepared himself to lunge forward.

" _ **Did you know that**_ _**mankind's fall began**_ _**the day they started to**_ _**question everything around them",**_ he asks Romeo one last time as he revved up his tail and extended his claws, " _ **and foolishly thought there would be no consequences for such an**_ _**action?"**_

With that, Kasai charges forward into the whirling sands.

But as soon as he did, the storm suddenly disperses and Kasai finds himself staring at three figures blocking his path to the guild hall.

 _ **"Oh? You're standing before me? Usually, at this point, your kind is running away from me",**_ Kasai finds himself laughing, " _ **I have to admit, it has been quite a while since this has happened."**_

Erza, now back in her original armor, draws her sword and points it straight at the Fire Spirit, with Gajeel and Gray simultaneously readying themselves for battle.

"Prepare yourself, Kasai, for now, we will show you the true strength of Fairy Tail!"

" _ **This will be your last chance.**_ _ **Just give me Pinky and you can all walk away",**_ Kasai warns them.

"Never!", Erza declares.

" _ **Fine then, be like that! Now I'm playing for keeps!",**_ Kasai chuckles, " _ **D**_ _ **on't go screaming into the afterlife saying that I did not give you a chance!"**_

**A/N: You may have noticed the thing with Freed and the Thunder God Tribe. While almost every other "team" in Fairy Tail is connected to Team Natsu to a varying extent, I have yet to see the Thunder God Tribe have such a relationship with them. They are their own stand-alone team and only seem to answer to Laxus and Makarov most of the time, (I don't count the time Erza was Guild Master seeing how that was due to reasons and she was only guild master for probably three weeks at best before giving it back to Makarov).**

**Also, please try to remember that the stronger members of Fairy Tail are still recovering after being frozen in time after seven years. Kasai may have been asleep for 500 years but there are hints pointing to the fact that this isn't the first time he has done this and so he can recover faster from it.**

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**Heat Wave- Kasai absorbs the fire from his tail and converts it into heat which he can pulse out.**


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